You Know Why
by LoveyHowl
Summary: Inspired by moment shared by Bill and Tara.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing

True Blood S4

This takes place after the events of "Spellbound". I refuse to have the vampires be bested by the witches, so in this story the dust has settled and Bill and Tara find an opportunity to talk.

"_You know why._.."

There wasn't a day that had gone by since that night that his words hadn't reverberated in her head.

It took quite some time for the dust to settle in Bon Temps after that fateful night in the cemetery four months ago, but it all seemed like yesterday to Tara. God, what a holy mess. So many things would stand out about that night, moments burned permanently in her brain that could never be erased.

She sat on Lafayette's porch smoking a blunt. LaLa always had the best shit. He didn't sell it anymore; he didn't sell any illegal drugs anymore—he was out of all of that, for good. Lafayette had finally embraced his true spiritual selves and begun to study in earnest in the British Traditional Wicca. He was also becoming quite the scholar of world religions, in general. As a matter of fact, along with his theological Wiccan studies he was preparing himself for Hajj, the greater pilgrimage to Mecca, that was coming up in November. LaLa was all about tolerance and embracing the God and the Goddess in all living creations. Two years ago Tara would have run screaming from him if he'd talked of the things he talked of now. But in the time since the vampires had come out of the coffin and made themselves known to the world, Tara's fragile belief system, if she'd ever possessed one at all, had been forced to open up to the impossible; had been forced to embrace patterns of thought—years ago—she was sure had been reserved only for the craziest amongst us all. How wrong she had been. It was amazing that all of this had been a by-product of the crazy confusion that had been Marnie, and by extension, Antonia Gavilan.

She was learning a lot from him even though he was not even remotely trying to force his beliefs on her. It was in his manner, his new-found sense of calm, the joy of learning how to be a positive part of Creation that was soaking into her consciousness from just being around him. LaLa was happy, and Tara had seen very few truly happy people in her lifetime. And his happiness was infectious.

She was in a mellow, calm place at that moment as she sat comfortably in the cool chill of the night. She didn't fear the same things that she used to. LaLa was away, in Shreveport at some official gathering. He was always away, it seemed, and Tara admired his ability to not fear the next step, whether into the known or the unknown. His spirit was taking him places, far from Bon Temps. Tara had only ever been as far a Mississippi—not a stretch at all from Bon Temps. She fled from that memory quickly. One day, she too would travel beyond the borders of Bon Temps; that time was just not now. Not yet.

Her thoughts now wandered to Naomi. She had really loved Naomi, but she sent her away to save her life. Tara knew she had done the right thing. She never went back to New Orleans, would never see Naomi again. It was still the right thing to do even though it continued to break her heart.

She thought of Sookie. God, they had grown apart over the last months since Sookie's return. Tara didn't even begin to know where to try and heal the rift, or if she should even try. And even though that broke her heart as well, it felt like the right thing to just leave it alone. At least for now.

And then there was Bill.

Bill, who had once left her for dead at the hands of one psychotic vampire and then saved her life from the deadly grips of another. "_You know why_..."

That one moment in time still haunted her waking thoughts as well as her dreams.

How she had hated him; hated him from the moment she set eyes on him at Merlotte's as he zeroed in on Sookie. Sookie, whom she didn't even speak to anymore. He had saved Tara because of her. She didn't fool herself for one minute thinking that it was for any other reason. Bill had moved on from Sookie in his cold dead heart, but she would always reside in it. And it was that love that compelled him to order Pam to release her from her rotting death grip in the cemetery that night. But there was something else that plagued her in all of that time since. It was the way he had looked at her as he pulled her up from the damp, cool ground; it was the electricity of his touch that sparked in her a feeling that she had, as yet, not been able to name coherently; it was all the hate she had always felt for him and those of his kind that had made life hell for countless humans through the ages, had made life hell for her—all of those conflicting emotions at war within her as he performed a kindness so great that it left her dumb and speechless on the path where she stood before him. He didn't look kindly upon her at all as he did it; there was no gentle smile, no look of abject apology—no tenderness at all. _But she'd felt it pouring from him, nonetheless, emanating from him and enveloping her total soul. _It was, to that day, that very moment, still driving her to complete distraction.

There had been many things she'd had to reconcile within herself after that night. She'd been sitting out on the porch contemplating how best to achieve a thing she knew was necessary to get her over the last hump, the last obstacle on the road to her peace of mind; the last thing that must be done to free Bill from her thoughts forever.

Tara didn't like to show up anywhere unannounced. Anymore, anyway. But especially not where she was headed. But she had no choice. She didn't have his personal cell number or the number to the mansion. She was prepared to just leave a message with one of the guards—provided they didn't shoot her first. And it wasn't even eleven pm—still pretty early, by vampire standards. But he could be doing anything: attending to vampire affairs, or more likely, personal affairs. Hell, he probably wasn't there at all. It didn't matter, she just needed to leave a message.

She drove up to the newly installed security gate, stopped and spoke to the guard.

"Uh, hello, sir, I would just like to leave a message for King Bill."

"Name?" the guard asked gruffly.

"Tara Thornton," she bristled immediately. _Fucking asshole, why's he gotta be so rude? _The guard spoke into a mouth piece and then awaited instruction. Tara was preparing for more unpleasantness when he opened his mouth, but was surprised to hear his next words.

"Proceed, please. Park your car in the first empty stall. King Bill says he will be waiting for you there."

"Uh, thank you."

Tara rolled through slowly, found the stall she'd been instructed to and Bill waiting for her in the spotlight of her head lights. Bill walked to her door, opened it and helped her out.

"Tara, it is so very nice to see you," his face was stern although his voice was warm.

"Thank you, King Bill."

"You don't have to call me King, Tara, although I do appreciate your graciousness."

"Okay...Bill."

"To what do I owe your visit tonight? Is everything well?"

"Well, I wouldn't know—Sookie and I don't really talk anymore."

"Tara," Bill began a little awkwardly, "I wasn't asking about Sookie; I was asking about you."

"Oh, well," Tara felt instantly stupid. "I'm fine. I just..."

"Let us go to the house where you can sit by the fire and get warm," he suggested as he politely cut her off.

"Okay, sure. I won't be taking up much of your time."

"Come on with me, then," he said formally as he led the way to the house.

Tara was blown away when she walked through the front door. The last time she had set eyes on Bill's house it was a charming, hot, ramshackle wreck of place. Now it was like a palace.

Bill, taking note of her quiet surprise, smiled a faint smile. "When I became King I found it necessary to employ the expertise of an interior decorator," he said as he led her to the drawing room he used to receive his human guests.

"I can see that. It suits you. Must feel good to have your ancestral home restored."

"Yes, it does. Please, have a seat, Tara."

He was still all formal propriety. Tara sat down and tried to compose herself as Bill joined her.

"Bill, I'm just going to spit this out..."

"Can I get you anything Tara?"

"No. like I said, I just want to...I never had the chance after the night in the cemetery to thank you for saving my life. I know we have a pretty hostile history; I know I did some things...I know Marnie was...I was involved in, with..." Somewhere a dam broke and Tara started to cry, deep heaving sobs of anguish and release.

Bill made no move to comfort her. It did not surprise Tara that he sat stock still while she tried to compose herself.

"I know you did it because of Sookie, and I just wanted to thank you," she said at last as she hung her head trying to wipe away the tears before she looked at him. When she did at last look upon him she was surprised to see him smiling at her, sadly, but smiling nonetheless.

"Tara, you know better. I didn't do it for Sookie. I did it for you. You know why."

"Uh, no, I don't..." but his last words struck her to her core.

"Yes, you do. I am sorry, to the core of my being for what you suffered at the hand of Franklin Mott; and Russell Edgington—and myself. Had I saved you in Mississippi it would have been because of Sookie. In the cemetery that night I owed you_ my_ life. Don't you understand? You have had more than one opportunity to have me as a bane to your existence no more. And because of Sookie you chose to help me instead of harm me. And I let you down severely that night in Mississippi. And still you helped her put me in the van. And after I drained her nearly to death, still you did not finish me off. There was no way I was going to let Pam kill you. I am forever indebted to you, Tara Thornton. I am also sorry that I have cost you your relationship with Sookie."

"Aww, Bill, that was inevitable. Sook is a supernatural, herself. No offense, but the types she attracts? That's always going to mean trouble for her human friends." Tara wiped the last of her tears away and, still sniffling, looked up sheepishly at Bill, who had on his face the warmest smile she'd ever seen directed at her from him. Tara cast her gaze downward, nervously.

"None taken. And you are right. And woe to the man, human or otherwise, that ever truly captures her heart."

"Are you really over her, Bill?" Tara asked as she pushed a stray strand of hair from her eye, still not looking up.

"I shall care about her always; and because of our blood bond I shall always carry a piece of her within me. But I do not love her. I am free of that particular torment." Bill's smile broadened as he took Tara's chin in hand and forced her gaze upon him. Truce?"

Tara relaxed a little and returned a genuine smile. "Truce. Well, I should get goin'...I'm sure you have much more important matters to attend to. I thank you for taking the time to see me. Especially unannounced and all."

Bill took her hand and helped Tara up as she rose to go, and there it was—that electric spark she'd felt so many months before; a surprising heat that betrayed the cold dead thing that was his hand. She yanked her hand out of his as she backed away from him.

"So you felt it too, as I did that night," he accused her, that warm, all-inviting smile still on his face.

"Felt what?"

"The attraction, Tara. It's alright, you can try to deny it, if you feel that you must," he said as he advanced slowly towards her.

"Okay, I felt something, but even though you saved me you looked pretty damn mad," Tara took slow steps backwards, until she found that she'd hit a wall.

"I was. I wanted you, Tara, right then and there; but—well you know what was going on," he said as he drew upon her at last. Bill leaned in close to Tara, took her hands in his and raised them high and pinned them to the wall. Tara could feel her body going slack; she did want him, wanted his hands on her, his mouth upon hers.

Was she crazy? Was she dreaming? Was she being glamoured? She was none of those things. She could feel the heat in her loins and that feeling in the pit off her stomach that started to turn flip-flops; that feeling that all of the stupid love songs ever written paid homage to. She hadn't felt this—ever. She'd had hot sex; tawdry sex; awful sex; tender sex. She'd never had sex with someone she loved. Not like this was promising to be, not with her soul.

She had loved Eggs, but she had been under the influence of a demon; she had loved Naomi, but she hadn't really given Naomi her true self. And Sam, sweet Sam; both of them had been angry and lonely and so at cross-purposes, trying to fill the voids in their hearts yet never succeeding.

Had she been angry at Bill? Always. Had she truly hated him? Yes, with all of her being. So where had the attraction come in? When she saw how he was with Sookie; when he showed them all that he truly could love; when he damn near killed her but Sook still loved him anyway and enjoined her closest friends to help him stay alive; even when he betrayed her; when she broke his heart with Eric Northman, long before Antonia ever showed up; when Sookie was gone and he grieved her loss in front of all. So crazy that their love and then its ultimate demise had planted the seed of her own; because Tara had finally seen the humanity in him that Sookie had always known was there. And because Sookie had loved him, Tara had grudgingly loved him, as all family members do, when your loved one's significant other pisses you off to all hell. You love them because they make, or made, your loved one happy. And somewhere along the line Tara's hate had turned to tolerance, and then to solidarity in uneasy alliance. At some point they were grudging friends, now with a history between them, familiarity—even some things, other than Sookie, that they had in common.

It was confirmed in the cemetery four months ago, that unspoken desire that came crashing down upon them in the middle of chaos and disorder, that made the world stop for them for just a moment in time, now finally to be realized in his imminent embrace.

Just his nearness caused Tara to gasp, the first orgasmic burst that was a result of his touch alone.

Bill lowered his hands slowly, sensuously down the length of her, down the sides of her torso even as Tara's arms remained against the wall, raised up high in surrender. She could feel his arousal as he pressed in to her, feel the smooth fangs on her neck as he grazed her delicately.

"I've been waiting for you to come to me, Tara," he murmured into her neck.

He planted sweet kisses along her neck, her mouth, her closed eyelids; her hands came down at last and she grabbed him by the nape of his neck, holding him to her. Her legs went up and encircled his waist and Bill banged her playfully into the wall. But she was lost in his kisses and would not open her eyes. Bill grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked it just so, until she opened her eyes at last and looked upon him. No words were needed. Up the stairs he carried her, his gaze never wavering from hers, to his waiting bed. He undressed her slowly and then she, him. He laid her down upon his sumptuous bed and they kissed liquidly, languidly for quite some time. When at last Bill trailed the last of his tender kisses that led to the sweetness between her legs she was ripe with anticipation. He pleasured her for what seemed forever, until Tara almost passed out from exhilaration and exhaustion; she came explosively, needing him to stop but unable to let him do so.

"This is just the beginning," he assured her as he turned her over now, bringing her to all fours on her knees. He entered her slowly and then raised her up, kissing the back of her neck as he rode her, her breasts cupped lovingly in his big cold hands.

He wanted her blood; he wanted her for eternity; but knew not to ask such a thing from her. Yet. No, he could wait. She had been through so much...he could wait. He would not feed from her unless she asked it of him. And if she never did? Well, he thought scandalously to himself, _never say never_.


	2. Hookah, What?

Thanks to all who have read and to all who have given reviews-I'm glad that you are enjoying my story! True Blood has been an all new experience for me because I haven't read the books yet. I haven't been real big on shipping, either, but I do enjoy alot of the fics here that explore different pairings-so many wonderful writers here!

Having said that, I will admit that of all the relationships on the show I had a real soft spot for Tara and Sam, and had hoped they'd have worked out. But that moment between Bill and Tara in the cemetery just completely took me there! Anyway, I don't know where this is going because this one hit me out of left field. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

You Know Why

Ch. 2 Hookah, _What_?

It was just under two hours to sunrise. Bill lay next to Tara marveling at her beauty as she slept; amazed that she had come to him, at last. She had come to him...

The power of that reality touched a place in him that almost reminded him what it was like to feel human again. She had come to him; there were no hidden agendas between them; no influence from the bond of shared blood, which was erotically intense but so very temporary; no influence from the high octane charge that had been Sookie's fae blood which, if Bill was to even be remotely honest with himself about, explained why he had gone so completely off the rails on his original assignment from Queen Sophie-Anne.

Their lovemaking had been reverent and full of passion. It was an effort for Bill, always with human women, to exercise some restraint so as not to hurt them. But there was a moment during the hours they had pleasured each other where his control had escaped him; to his surprised delight Tara had met the challenge of him, stroke for hungry stroke, and had given back to him more than he dared to even imagine that she could.

She stirred in her sleep and reached out for him, then woke and found his gaze upon her.

"Aww, please tell me you have _not_ been watching me sleep..." she smiled up at him as she pulled the sheet over her face and groaned.

"I have," he smiled down at her, pulled the sheet away and gave her a playful kiss.

"What time is it?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"We have about an hour and a half before I must..."

"Go to ground..." she finished for him, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"What's all this, Tara? It's not the end of us, just the end of now," he reassured her.

"I know...I'm trippin'. It's just that...I don't know. I'm just being horribly female right now, I'm sorry."

"I am flattered," he beamed at her, then kissed her again, properly and deeply.

"That's not helping," she said at last when they came up for air.

"You are welcomed to stay here, Tara. You can sleep, get some rest, get up when you like," he said seductively as he kissed her neck. "My kitchen staff will be happy to prepare breakfast for you..." his kisses now trailed to the top of her breast. "You can leave whenever you get ready. Or not at all..." he said finally, content now to suckle at her tender erect nipples.

"And where will you be?" she asked in a swoon, as her hands went to his head where she let the feel of his silky hair tantalize the tips of her fingers.

"I have a special room here in the house where I sleep during the day. You can stay and I will join you at sunset," he said, resting his head between her breasts.

"Thanks, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable here while you're sleeping. I need to go home, anyway."

"Well then, we will see each other tonight," he looked up at her now, a lustful gleam in his eyes. "But we still have an hour or so...there is no need to rush off just yet..." and then pulled her warm body possessively underneath his cold one. But Tara did not feel warm or cold; she only felt love.

* * *

><p>When Lafayette returned home from Shreveport he walked through his door and found Tara knocked out on the couch. He tip-toed in quietly and set his bags down, then slammed the door shut with a loud bang.<p>

"Tara Mae!" he called to her authoritatively.

Tara stirred only enough to peer through one sleepy eyelid.

"What_ is_ you doin' knocked out on my couch at one o'clock in the afternoon?" Lafayette looked around the room to see if there was evidence of another who might have been or still might be around. "Tara, wake up. I'm going to see Ruby Jean today and I want you to come with me..."

His eyes scanned the room once more and then he spied the miniature red tagine on the coffee table where he kept his stash of peyote and saw that the lid was slightly askew.

"Oh, hell naw...Tara! No you did not smoke my peyote. I told yo ass you could hit anything but that," he scolded her angrily.

"Aww, man, really? I gotta listen to this?" Tara sat up at last, groggy and not pleased at being yelled at. "I only had a pinch that I mixed with some weed, damn."

"A pinch is too much, you crazy...aw shit! I told you, plain as day, that I only use that for special ceremonies...it is not—I repeat—is NOT—for casual use. Looks like I'm gonna have to lock the shit up from now on," he bitched.

"Oh, calm the fuck down. It was just that one time. I needed it, Lafayette."

"Oh, really? For what?"

"I went to see Bill last night."

"Again, I say, for what?"

"I wanted to tell him thanks for saving me from Pam that night in the cemetery."

Tara was talking, but Lafayette's mind went back to that night—at least what he could remember of it—and his whole soul shuddered.

"Lafayette? Lafay—you ain't even listening to me," she said disgustedly.

"I'm sorry baby girl, I was just, uh, damn." Lafayette leaned his back upon the front door for support.

Tara suddenly got it. "Mavis? You alright? Lafayette?"

"Yeah. Uh, so, what about Bill?" he asked, slowly coming around to himself.

"Bill and I had a nice talk and we're cool now."

"Well praise be," he dismissed the news with a toss of his hand and rolling eyes. "Are you coming with me to see Ruby Jean or not?"

"Yeah, of course," she was beaming a smile at him.

"What the fuck? You musta had more than a damn pinch. What little canary you got stuck in yo throat right now?" he asked her suspiciously, his beautiful almond-shaped eyes narrowing as a confused frown formed on his face.

"Bill and I are better than cool with each other—I spent the night with him last night."

"Hookah, _what_?" Lafayette felt like he'd been sucker punched and slid down from the door to a sitting position.

Tara laughed out loud as she threw up her own hands, as if in question, though no words could escape through her hundred kilowatt smile.

"Back the fuck up, Tara—yo ass HATES Bill Compton—what the hell you mean you spent the night with him?"

"We talked, we came to an understanding—we're in love, LaLa."

"In love?" he repeated, as if she had spoken a foreign language. "And you spent the night? Doin' what?"

Lafayette's shock was starting to just piss her off. "We hooked up his karaoke machine and sang the whole soundtrack of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" songs all night—what the hell do you _think_ we did?"

Lafayette let out an involuntary chuckle despite his total confusion. Suddenly he sobered again. He got up from the floor and rushed her then, took her chin in hand and whipped her head around to survey her neck.

"Did you let him..."

She threw his hand off of her as she cut him off angrily.

"No, we did everything except that," she began to explain. Lafayette backed off with his hands raised as if she had a gun pointed at him.

"Okay, TMI, hookah, TMI," and he sat back down on the floor, still in shock and shaking his head in disbelief. "Okay, I _get_ that these past few months have been a time of healing and all?...and Lord knows I never thought I'd ever be friends with Eric damn Northman...but help me out—what the fuck, Tara?"

Tara explained it all to him: that horrible night in Mississippi; everything that led her to leave Bon Temps and everything that led her to come back; finally she told him about the night of the Witch War and that moment on the path in the cemetery and how it had weighed on her for the past four months until she could take it no more.

"I had to see him. Then I found out he'd been waiting on me all along."

"You really love him?"

"Yes," Tara smiled at him warmly, happy that it was finally getting through to him, at last.

"And he really loves you?"

Tara only nodded an ecstatic "yes".

"Well, stranger things have happened, I guess. If you're happy then I'm happy for you."

"I am Lafayette."

"Well, if you thinks this shit fucks _me_ up, wait till Sookie finds out," he said as he stood up.

"You seen her lately?"

"Naw, she ain't been to Merlotte's in a grip. I don't think poor Sook knows what to do with herself right about now, since Eric recovered his full memory and all."

The news didn't make Tara feel good at all and the worry for her estranged friend showed on her face.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Tara Mae," Lafayette said, spying the concern on his cousin's face as he approached her and took her hands into his own. "You and I both know that Sookie has a way of bouncing back from shit that would make a rubber ball jealous. Now, get yo happy, Bill Compton-lovin' ass up _off _mah couch," he pulled her up with a forceful yank, "and get dressed... so we can get goin'." Lafayette gave her a hug and sent Tara on her way, smiling ruefully and shaking his head, his fingers massaging his temple like he had Excedrine headache number 5,224.


	3. Nothing New Under The Sun

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Ch. 3 Nothing New Under The Sun

Ever since Lafayette's mother had slipped away from the hospital and shown up at his door he'd made it a point to visit her much more often. Because she had enjoyed herself so immensely ransacking the contents of his make-up kit and jewelry box he also now always brought presents for her: of new and fun cosmetics for her to try as well as whatever new trinkets and jewelry he'd picked up on his many trips out of Bon Temps. In Shreveport he'd gone to a big department store and found her the loveliest carnelian necklace and matching earrings and he actually couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she opened the gift boxes.

Every time he came to see Ruby Jean she was looking more and more luminous, radiant—even regal. She was the one he had learned the art of applying make-up from, after all, even though back in the day she hadn't realized that she was teaching him. Or maybe, deep down, she had. She still had the hand of an artiste as her make-up was always flawless and never over-done. As a matter of fact, with each visit she was looking less and less like someone who even belonged in a mental hospital. At least until she opened her mouth.

"LaLa! My LaLa! Hey, baby! Do you know that Jesus came to me last night and whispered the winning lotto numbers to me in a dream?" she beamed at him when he came in to her room.

"Ruby Jean, Jesus would not do that," he said as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Not that Jesus—you're Jesus. He said you wouldn't believe me. Where has he been, LaLa? I miss him and he never tells me where he is."

"For the hundredth time, Ruby Jean, he's in Mexico..." then Lafayette did a double take. "Wait a minute—what do you mean he never tells you where he is?"

"He just doesn't. I ask him but he just laughs. Then he gives me the lotto numbers. But I can never get anyone to play them for me," she pouted, like a little girl who's just been denied her favorite candy treat.

Lafayette hadn't heard from Jesus in months. He had gone back to Mexico to learn more from his _Brujo_. He'd wanted his LaLa to come with him, but Lafayette was not trying to embrace the dark magic his lover was determined to learn more of. Lafayette was determined to follow the path of the Light, and Wicca was helping him to do that; real Wicca, not the miss-mash of madness Marnie had introduced to the witches in Bon Temps.

Lafayette brought himself back to the moment at hand and presented his mother with her latest gifts. Then he got mad: how dare Jesus try to get at him through his mother like that.

"That's alright, LaLa; I know that he's not anywhere that's really good for him. I know you miss him, too, but you were right to let him go on without you," she told him in a moment of clarity, her voice soothing and sane, as if she was reading his very thoughts. She turned back into Ruby Jean, Our Lady of the Immaculate Psychiatric Ward, and opened her gift boxes, squealing with delight when she set her eyes upon their contents.

"Thank you, baby! I love them," she smiled into his eyes.

"I have another present for you..." and he turned to the door, where Tara had been listening and waiting.

"Tara Mae! Get on in her girl and come hug me!"

"Hey Auntie!" Tara gave her a warm hug.

Suddenly, Ruby Jean pushed Tara away from her and surveyed her at arms length.

"Oh," she sang in a low harmonious voice, "Tara Mae...it is beginning."

Tara and Lafayette exchanged confused glances before she looked back at her aunt.

"Stop looking at me like you don't know what I'm talking about," Ruby Jean's sweet Southern sing-song voice rang out. "Your mama is going to take it hard, baby. But you are and have always been the strongest among us. My LaLa is right there neck and neck with you, but you are _strong_, Tara Mae. Don't you ever forget that, you hear?"

Tara didn't know exactly what her aunt was talking about, but she was beginning to realize what Lafayette had come to discover in all these past months: that Ruby Jean had once been a powerful witch. All of a sudden Tara's heart expanded like it was going to burst, and tears filled her eyes as it then went out to Ruby Jean.

"Yes, baby girl, there is that," Ruby Jean hugged Tara to her breast. "Hush now; ain't nothin' new under the sun, children, nothin' new at all."

On the drive back home Tara finally—and delicately—broached the subject that was weighing heavily on her.

"Lafayette, what happened to her?" 

"I don't know, I'm still trying to find out," he said quietly, his jaw clenched tight.

"What is it?"

"Fucking Jesus. He's been coming to her in her dreams. I could kill that muthafucka..."

"What did she mean by 'It is beginning'?"

"I don't know, hookah, she was talking to you—that's yo shit. I guess we'll find out soon enough."

"She knows about Bill," said Tara, amazed.

"Hell yeah, she does. From the sound of things I thinks she's down with it."

"I just don't understand," Tara shook her head.

"Tara, understand this: we come from a long line of witches, some powerful, some weak, and all of them had a tough row to hoe getting through this life. Yo ma? She had power in her, but she was weak. That's why she turned to drink. And demons did try to possess her—and keep her. That shit was real. Miss Jeanette wasn't a total fake; she helped yo ma caste out a demon for real, but she opened up a path that led to you and that's how fuckin' Maryann got in. But yo ma cleaned up, Tara, the best way she knew how. She survived it. My mama wasn't so lucky. Whatever happenedto her cost her sanity. I wish I had known years ago what I know now, even though that ain't much. I would have been there for her sooner," he said, holding the steering wheel in a vice grip, staring into the distance before him as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

When Tara and Lafayette got back to his house they were exhausted, emotionally, more than anything else.

"I'm working the grill tonight—7 to close. I'm gonna grab a nap, cuz. You going to Bill's tonight, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for going with me today."

"Don't ever go back without me."

Lafayette blew her a kiss and retired to his room.


	4. The Girls Are Alright

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Ch. 4 The Girls Are Alright

When Tara drove up to the security gate in front of Bill's mansion at dusk she was not stopped. The gate opened and she was waved through without so much as a second glance from the guard posted there. She parked in the same spot as the night before but Bill was not there waiting for her. She was immediately disappointed. But by the time she had gotten out, closed the door and hit the alarm another guard was approaching her.

"Ms. Thornton, King Bill has asked me to give his apologies for not meeting you. He has been detained to address an urgent matter and I'm here to escort you in."

Tara was instantly worried. The guard led her across the lawn, into the mansion and on through an eight-foot wide art deco mullioned doorway that led to Bill's private drawing room.

"Please make yourself at home. King Bill will join you shortly." And with that the guard left her.

Tara looked around the room and found every creature comfort that one could desire: a huge hearth with a fireplace already ablaze, an 82 inch flat screen television perched above it; a wet bar and kitchenette; a full bar; two beautiful antiqued brass Moroccan armoires that had been converted into a bookcases; three separate seating areas; potted palms of various types adorned every corner; there was even an exquisite mahogany baby grand piano! There was so much going on that she couldn't properly take it all in.

Everything else was all brown and gold art deco opulence, with splashes of cream, red and pewter represented by various decorative touches and light fixtures. The same mullioned doors that led into the room also led out of it to a side veranda, framed by what seemed a forest of cypress trees with a view that took Tara's breath away. It was fancy, but warm and inviting, just the same; and very personal. It was a room that looked lived in, despite all its finery. And despite its many influences and components nothing was gaudy or overdone. Tara felt like she'd walked through a portal to another time; a time when gallons of liquor flowed illegally and gangsters hobnobbed with Aristocrats. It was a room Tara felt she could die in, happily.

She was still taking it all in when she heard the door open; a smile came to her face immediately and she turned to face him.

"Jessica..."

"Tara? Hi. What are you doing here?" Jessica stopped in her tracks, her surprise tinged with reticence.

Tara understood completely—in the past she had always been a total asshole to Jessica. "I'm waiting for Bill."

"Oh. I, uh, left my cell phone in here somewhere and I just came in to look for it. Bill should be here soon. I know some kind of emergency came up, but I don't what it's all about. Sorry." Jessica felt awkward as she searched around the room for her phone.

"There's nothing for you to apologize about, Jessica. As a matter of fact, I should be apologizing to you."

"What?" Jessica was taken aback by Tara's calm, pleasant demeanor. "What do you mean?"

"For the whole time I've known you I've been nothing but rude and hateful and mean. And I'm really sorry. I won't be surprised if you don't forgive me, but I just want you to know it, anyway."

"Well, of course I forgive you, Tara. I'm speechless."

"Um, I've been doing a lot of soul searching ever since...over the past few months. Bill had everything to do with that."

"Bill?" Jessica shook her head in confusion. "I don't under..."

"Bill and I have a little history between us, as I'm sure you're aware, and it hasn't been pleasant. But he and I have made amends with each other."

"Look, no judgments from me, okay? I know that the dynamic between you and Bill and Eric and Sookie and Pam—God-was really all kinds of fucked up, and all; and that there were a lot of outside influences that only helped to make things worse. But a lot of it had nothing to do with me. Where you were concerned I just left it alone."

"I realize that. But I was still a huge asshole to you, just on general principle. And you _really_ didn't deserve that. I'm ashamed of myself, actually. And I know that I didn't come her to apologize to you tonight, but I should have, a long, long time ago. When you find out why I _am _here, I hope you won't think that my apology is any less sincere."

"Well, then maybe you should tell me why you're here," Jessica smiled the question at her.

"Bill and I have feelings for each other; feelings that we've acted upon. It's serious. I love him, Jessica, and we've started a relationship. And I know it's probably way to much to ask of you, but I hope that you'll give us your blessing." Tara winced as she looked down at the floor. She was bracing herself for Jessica's indignant and justifiable outrage.

"Really?" Jessica sat down on the arm of a nearby couch. "You and Bill? I would never in a thousand years have thought you two would..."

"Me, either," Tara confessed.

Both women broke out into laughter at the sheer incredibility of it all.

"I don't know why I'm laughing, Tara...I'm not laughing at you, it's all just so..."

"So fucking out of left field?" Tara asked her, wiping at the corner of her eyes, trying to quell her unexpected laughing fit.

"You think?, " Jessica said smiling at Tara, still in disbelief. "Like I said," Jessica began, her tone becoming more serious, "I forgive you and I totally accept your apology. If you guys are happy that's all that really matters, right?"

"Thank you Jessica, that means the world to me," and Tara grabbed her and gave her a hug, which Jessica returned.

"Wow. Does Sookie know about this?" Jessica dared to ask.

"Uh, yeah...no. I have a feeling I'm going to get that question a lot in the very near future. Did you two grow very close, Jessica? I always wondered."

"No, not really. Honestly, I don't know how anybody can be close to Sookie. Don't get me wrong, she's a sweet girl and she was always nice to me, but I don't know. Actually, I'm going to shut up now. I really have no room to judge anyone regarding relationships. I'm the last person in the world who should be judging how people handle their relationships."

Tara knew the she had gone through a really bad break-up with Hoyt, but that was the extent of it.

"How are you, really Jessica? Do you mind my asking?"

"No, not at all," she beamed a smile at Tara. "I really appreciate you asking. I'm getting better. I made a complete fool of myself; I broke Hoyt's heart; I put Jason in a terrible position and ruined, at the least, the possibility of having a really nice friendship. I didn't mean to hurt Hoyt, I really didn't."

"It's called growing up. I don't know all of the particulars and I ain't asking to get all in your business. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here. The only thing I will say is stop beating yourself up over it. Life is full of difficult decisions, and the only one who can make yours is you. And if you feel, despite everything, that you've made the right one for yourself, then fuck everybody else. Just my two cents."

The two women looked at one another and recognized themselves in each other.

"How are my two favorite ladies?" Bill asked when he walked through the door and found them together. "It appears that I have walked in on quite a private conversation—should I leave you?" he asked in earnest.

"No, silly," Jessica rose, went to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I was just on my way out, anyway. I'm hungry and I'm going out to eat. I'm really happy for you two, in case you didn't know. Bye!" she tossed her phone in the air and caught it in her hand as she shot them both a knowing glance.

"Jessica, " Bill called out to her before she could get away. She turned to face him, knowing what was coming next.

"I know, I know: only the willing and no cameras. Bye..." and then she was gone.

Bill went to Tara and embraced her.

"I'm sorry I was so long."

"Don't apologize to me, I know you're a busy man. Besides, you're here now. I'm good."

"Yes, you are."

Tara broke away from him reluctantly. "So, this is some room you got here..." she walked away from him and over to the piano.

"Jessica and I worked on this room together—along with the decorator, of course. I really don't have an affinity for that type of thing. I knew what I wanted and I do like the end result, but it was really a project I turned over to Jess; something for her to do while she was getting over Hoyt."

"Well, you all did a beautiful job. So, who plays?" she asked him as she gingerly touched the piano.

"I do. I used to play professionally in the twenties."

"Really?" Tara was quite intrigued that she'd discovered yet another layer to him. "Could I get you to play something for me now?"

"I would much rather play you..." he said as he advanced towards her.


	5. One Good Thing About Marnie

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Ch. 5 One Good Thing About Marnie...

When Lafayette pulled into Merlotte's parking lot he had to smile. Business was picking up again. Finally. For seven o'clock on a Wednesday night the joint was jumping. Of course it didn't hurt that the NBA playoffs were poppin' off, either. But the place had gotten back to some semblance of its former groove. For one blessed thing, Sam had finally hired a proper crew of waitresses—eight, to be exact; Terry and Arlene, with the help of Lafayette, had finally discovered that it wasn't the ghost of Drew Marshall that had come calling for Baby Mikey, but a whole different malevolent spirit. Lafayette didn't dwell on that long. But it had meant that Terry and Arlene had stopped dragging the poor child to work every day and had been able to finally get on with their lives.

All of the regulars were back in effect, as well; Andy Bellefleur had finally kicked his V addiction and was back to just being a regular old functioning alcoholic; Jessica had quit once and for all, unable to tolerate Hoyt's blatant hostility towards her. He had taken to occupying his favorite booth almost every night of the week, a different woman in tow each time. The boy was turning into a straight-up ho. In a real ironic twist of events his mama, Maxine, had somehow lost her house and was now living with him. And though she was happy to be back with her son the lack of control that she was able to exert over him was killing her. But she'd developed a new affinity for Miller Tall Boys that even she couldn't quite explain, and cracking one open with Hoyt on the rare night that he was home was one of the last things she could look forward to sharing with him anymore, aside from her cooking.

Sam had kicked his brother Tommy to the curb for the last time. Lafayette didn't have the details on that, either, but Sam now always seemed a little jumpy, always sniffing for trouble on the wind. In the end it hadn't worked out for him and that hot teacher named Luna. But Sam could always get a woman. Just not the right one.

The person Lafayette was the proudest of was his good friend Jason Stackhouse. Jason had really matured in the year that Sookie had disappeared and had stepped up his game immensely. At the height of Andy's V addiction he had been made Acting Sheriff. Even after Andy kicked the V monkey off his back there was talk that Jason was in line for the permanent position, which Andy himself had recommended him for. If it came to pass it would make Jason the youngest man to ever hold the title of Sheriff in Bon Temps. But Lafayette had heard from Deputy Kenya Jones that, not only had Jason refused to entertain the thought of replacing Andy, Jason had called foul on the higher-ups for passing Kenya up for the job, yet again. Yes, Jason had come a long way, indeed, and it brought a smile to Lafayette's face every time he thought about it.

Lafayette got out of his truck and headed on in to the salt mine.

"Hey, Lafayette," Sam greeted him in the back room as Lafayette was tying on his apron.

"Hey Boss. How's it looking out there?" he asked him as they walked to the kitchen together.

"We'll, it's been a full house by nine every night this week so far—hope tonight will be the same. Say Lafayette, how's Tara been, lately? She never comes by anymore."

Lafayette kept it simple. "She's good." He checked himself in Terry's crazy spirit mirror that was still hanging over the grill, overly-absorbing himself in tying on his head scarf and hoping Sam would just move on along.

"Well, she got a job yet? You think she might want her old spot back here?—she was about the best bartender I ever had." Lafayette suspended the bullshit scarf-tying tactic cold, turned to Sam and shot him an unappreciative look.

"Watch yoself, now," he warned him.

"Oh, fuck you, Lafayette, you know what I mean. Really, what's she been doing with herself these days?"

_Not a damn thing you want to know about, Sam Merlotte_, he assured him silently.

"Yeah, Lafayette, what has she been doing lately?" came a familiar voice behind them, sweet as honey molasses and dripping a boat-load of self-righteous indignation.

"Sook, shit," Lafayette jumped. One good thing about Marnie was that she had taught the witches in her circle a few little dark tricks, like how to cloak their minds from mental intruders—and here before him now was Bon Temps Number One mental intruder.

"Well, that's a fine way to greet an old friend," she harrumphed, more from not being able to read him than from anything else.

"Sookie, hey you..." Sam threw his arms open wide to her, "Get on over here and give me a big 'ol hug, huh?" to which she gladly complied. "How you been, Sookie? You ready to come back to work now?"

"If you'll have me, Sam Merlotte."

"You know the answer to that." They shared a knowing glance between each other; Sam had explained to her about Tommy months ago and offered her job back to her then, but soon after Eric Northman turned back into his old uber Dead Viking self and crushed Sookie's poor heart to all hell.

_Oh Lawd_, Lafayette groaned inwardly. Of all the days in the world she had to pick this one to come back to work?

"Thank you, Sam. So Lafayette," Sookie turned her attention back to him, "how _has_ Tara been? She still hell-bent on her mission to take down vampires and bend them to her will?"

_Only one_, he thought to himself devilishly as he maintained the barrier around his mind.

"Sook," Lafayette approached her now, feeling her anger at him for his ability to shut her out so effortlessly and completely, "just shut up and give me a hug. Great. Now both of you get out mah kitchen and let The Master duz what he do...scoot, now" he waved them both away with a flick of his wrist.

"C'mon Sookie, grab a booth with me and let's catch up," Sam took her hand and led her away, oblivious to the mental battle that had just taken place between her and Lafayette.


	6. Somewhere In The Night

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 6. Somewhere In The Night

Lucas Sewell lay on the medical table, his body strapped down with silver chains, his mind screaming, his head aching, from what he knew not. Julian told him that vampires didn't feel pain, but that was an obvious lie. And where was Julian? For that matter, where was _he_? He had only been a vampire for seven months, having been singled out by Julian when he just a roughshod, towheaded boy of twelve. Julian had always been his protector though he'd respectfully kept his hands off the boy. Julian had wanted him to grow up and experience some of life before he brought the boy into his world of eternal darkness; to an existence made possible only by the daily death of the sun—which he finally did when Lucas turned twenty-two. He was a handsome boy of Irish and British stock, but long removed from those countries by three generations. Julian had promised to take him to see the homes of his ancestors; the villages and countrysides his people didn't even remember the names of anymore, if they had ever known them, at all.

Oh, where was Julian now? Why hadn't he come to his aid? Lucas lay in pain, coming in and out of himself in great waves of—of what? Did vampires feel nausea? Whatever it was, he was sick, great rolling waves of blackness coursing through every artery of his body.

Julian...why hadn't he come to his aid? Was he chained up somewhere, too? He must have been, Lucas reconciled within himself. And if that was the case then the only possible thing waiting for them both was certain death.

* * *

><p>Everything in the room was white: blinding, medical room white.<p>

Julian's mind was reeling: whatever they had injected him with was wearing off, but his head felt like a balloon inflated to its last possible limit—and then popped. The horror was this feeling had kept repeating itself ever since he'd become conscious again.

It was so hard to think; the last thing he remembered was being in the French Quarter with Lucas, perusing humans outside of a little bar on Bourbon Street, trying to decide who looked good for dinner. They looked like any other young men out on a Friday night, dressed in jeans, t-shirts and tennis shoes. Lucas, the red-headed one, stood next to Julian as he banged away with imaginary drumsticks on an imaginary drum kit, playing along to the music of the live band as it streamed out from inside the bar. Julian, raven-haired and tall, leaning lazily against a post, looked to be the same age of his young friend. But Lucas was twenty-two and Julian was three hundred and forty-seven years old.

They'd spied a couple coming out of the bar, a young man and a woman, laughing and stumbling on drunk legs high on life and each other. Julian nodded to Lucas and they followed them down Bourbon Street and then around a corner. That was the last thing Julian remembered.

All he knew now was that he needed to get up off that table and find Lucas. Just then four men in lab coats came into the room. He could not clearly make out what they were saying, but they looked to be in some disagreement amongst themselves about something. Julian lay stock still, trying to hear even the hint of a semblance of a word through the timed explosions going off in his head.

"Which one?" he heard one man say, his voice sounding like a 33 1 /3 rpm vinyl record reduced to its slowest possible revolution.

"Red," said another, sounding as hellishly the same as the other.

_They're trying to decide which one of us to have go at first, _Julian deduced correctly. But to do what?

The men looked over at the table and began another heated discussion. After some time they all came to the table and made the mistake of beginning to unchain Julian. They must have figured he was out cold and safe enough for handling. Thank god the blundering fools had fallen for his act. As soon as a hand was free Julian sprang to action and ripped the head off one white-coat with one sweep. He dispensed with the other three easily enough, but he knew that, wherever he was, the place had to be crawling with more just like them and security, of course. He didn't want to raise the alarm, but calling to Lucas was the only way he was going to find him. He took a breath and tried to clear his mind, to will himself to ignore the pain in his head.

"Lucas!" his voice roared through the pristine white hallway he sat crouched in, echoing off the walls as alarms sounded immediately.

"Julian!" he answered back, frantically.

With vampire speed Julian was at his side, now unchaining the boy.

"What the fuck, Julian?"

"I don't know, but we've got to get the hell out of here..."

They heard the footfall of what sounded to be at least a dozen men, if not more. They looked around, but there were no windows in the room.

"Just follow me, Lucas, as fast as you can. Whatever happens, we must not let them catch us, do you understand me?"

"Yes," the boy said, the full weight of his words unmistakable, and impossible to misinterpret.

"Alright, now!"

And then they flew past what turned out to be a horde of armed guards, equipped with guns and rifles that surely harbored silver and wooden bullets. They escaped the guards easily, but did not know which way was out. All of the corridors looked the same; there were no windows, no exit doors.

"Julian, there!" Lucas screamed out, pointing to a single hairline fracture of a seam in the wall. Julian rammed his fist through the wall making a hole big enough to pry through the crazy hidden door. They ran with the speed of light through a tunnel that took them down, to where they knew not. And then they realized no one was following them.

"It's got to be a trap..." Julian murmured under his breath. "But we have to take a chance. Come on, Lucas, there's no other choice."

And down they went, following the tunnel to its end only to find another door, this one as big as one on a bank vault.

Julian knew he would have no problem opening it—the question was: what was on the other side?

Julian hugged his progeny to him and gave him a kiss upon the mouth, sweet and full of sadness. And then he opened the door.


	7. It Is Beginning

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 7 It Is Beginning

Bill sat at his desk, reading a file as he talked on the phone to Nan Flanagan.

"Yes, he is outside now, waiting to see me. Yes, Nan, I understand. As soon as I take his report I will go see Eric. Yes...immediately." He hung up the phone and stared at the dossier before him. What it had detailed was more than disturbing. He picked up the phone again.

"Send him in." He replaced the receiver and stood to welcome his subject.

A dark-haired young-looking man walked through the door, dressed impeccably in a burgundy velvet suit.

"My Liege," he greeted Bill somberly.

"Please have a seat," he instructed him.

After both men were seated, the man spoke.

"I am Julian Cromwell."

"Mr. Cromwell. Please describe the events that took place three weeks ago."

"Yes. My progeny and I, Lucas Sewell, were in New Orleans on a Friday night doing what we normally do: hanging out, looking for dinner—nothing unusual. We spied a couple coming from a bar, a man and a woman. We followed them. After that I remember nothing. The next thing I do remember is waking up on, what I believe was, an operating table. I had been drugged with something that made my head feel like it was in a vice; I was bound to the table with silver chains; Lucas was nowhere in sight.

Four men in white coats—I don't know if they were doctors or scientist or just lab technicians, or what—were in deep discussion over what do or which one of us to begin with first. At least that's the impression I got. I couldn't understand what they were saying and I couldn't see what they looked like definably. I played dead, as it were, and the four of them came upon me and began to unchain me. As soon as I had a free hand I killed them all. I called out to Lucas, found him—chained up as I had been—and freed him.

We made a run for it. The place was an endless white maze, no windows, no doors—seamless. Somehow Lucas spied a crack in the wall and we burst through it to find ourselves now in a tunnel leading, to what we thought, was some underground location. We came to another door and realized that no one had followed us. The whole time we were in the white maze alarms were sounding and they were chasing after us with guns. We knew it had to be some kind of trap, but we went through it anyway. We were outdoors, locked out of where we had come from and it was daylight. I tried to shield Lucas, but it was useless. He was only seven months a vampire, you see. But the area—I can't even explain it. It was all concrete, but open area—there was no where for me to go to ground. I can fly and I flew farther than I ever thought I could under the heat of the sun. I finally found land, but I didn't know where I was and I was losing consciousness; I barely had the energy to dig a grave for myself. Three days later I rose, badly scarred and still healing. I made my way back home, to Shreveport. And then I contacted the Authority."

"I am very sorry for your loss, Mr. Cromwell."

"Thank you."

"Would you mind telling me why you and your progeny were in New Orleans?

"I was preparing to take him on a trip around the world, especially England and Ireland, where his ancestors came from. We started in New Orleans simply because he had never been there before."

"How long had you been there?"

Not more than two weeks."

"Had you noticed anyone following you? Anyone too interested in the two of you? Were either of doing anything to cause undue attention to yourselves?"

"No, no and no, King Bill. We didn't even kill our victims—we simply took their blood and them glamoured them."

"I see. And this white maze that you were confined in—did you see any medical instruments or equipment of any kind?"

"Not that I could remember, but my head was in so much pain—all of those things could have been right in front of me and I wouldn't have seen them. But I did very much feel like a lab rat. My only consolation is that at least Lucas' body disintegrated under the heat of the sun. At least, I hope so," he concluded, trying hard to be stoic and pragmatic.

"I understand. Mr. Cromwell, again, my condolences. Thank you for taking the time to meet me today."

Bill rose from his seat to shake the devastated vampire's hand.

"Thank you for seeing me, my Liege."

"I want you to know that the Authority takes what has happened to you seriously and we will begin our investigation fully now based on what you have told me here today. We may very likely be in touch with you again soon."

"You will have my complete cooperation and any assistance that can possibly render."

"Thank you, Mr. Cromwell. Until that time."

* * *

><p>Tara and Bill had been together, not even a month, but she was blissfully happy. The only thing that saddened her heart at that point in time was leaving Bill at sunrise each day.<p>

He still had not fed from her; although her blood was tantalizing him, he too was content to leave well enough alone. But one evening she put a question to him that quite surprised him, and happily so.

"Bill, I've been thinking," she began cautiously, testing the water lightly. They were in his private drawing room enjoying another quiet evening together as Tara lay snuggled in his lap while he revisited a favorite book.

Bill looked up from his book and gave her his full attention.

"This sounds serious."

"It is," she said as she sat up to face him. "Bill, my whole life I haven't ever known exactly what to do with myself. You know my story. New Orleans was the closest I've ever come to living my own life, but it really wasn't my own life. I was living a lie. The cage fighting was just a release for all my pent up anger. Now I'm back here and what am I?

"You are mine," he said with love in his voice as he took her chin in his hand.

"I want to really be yours, Bill. I'm tired of parting every day and being without you. I'm tired of free loading on you and Lafayette."

"You are not freeloading on me, Tara, and you know it."

"I know there's something greater in me, but nothing great is going to manifest itself while I'm fighting in a cage or tending Sam's bar. And this world –I've never really been a part of it. And then I find out I'm a damn witch? It's obvious that the little wifey in the suburbs with the husband and 2.3 kids is not my thing. I'm not ball-bustin' white collar execu-bitch material, either. I want to be a real part of your life. And I want to be with you forever. You're the only one I could even imagine wanting to do forever with. Hell, the way my life has been—well, let's just say there was a time when I didn't even want to see tomorrow."

"Tara, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes."

"I will not deny that this would make me the happiest vampire in the world, but have you really thought it through? Your family would be crushed," he cautioned her gently.

"My human family is Lafayette. He's not completely down with all of this, but he loves me and I love him. My new family is you and Jessica. And I want to come into the fold for real, if you'll both have me."

"Of course we would have you. However, as much as I want it, you must take more time to think about it. You must be absolutely sure."

"I already am. I've been thinking about this with my whole soul these past few weeks, and I know it seems fast. But I've never been more sure about anything in my whole life, Bill. Please say yes." her tone of voice was firm and resolute—she was not begging him.

"All I ask is that you take a little while longer, really think it through, Tara. I know you know full well what you are asking. But it cannot hurt to think on it even a bit more. And when we have this discussion again I will feel much better about it. Will you give me that?"

"Yes, I can do that," she said simply and then kissed him.

* * *

><p>That conversation had taken place just two weeks prior to Bill's meeting with Julian Cromwell. As much as he wanted her to be with him always it was simply out of the question now. He needed to see Eric but he was going to have to talk to Tara first.<p>

He left his office and went straight to Lafayette's house.

He knocked on the door and in moments saw Lafayette's surprised face through the screen door.

"Bill, come in," Lafayette opened the door. He didn't have a good feeling about this visit, not at all.

"Is Tara still here?" he asked Lafayette.

"Bill?" came her voice from the direction of the kitchen and then she appeared, holding a cutting knife in one hand and a potato in the other. "What are you doing here—you done with work already? It's only nine o'clock."

"Yes, I am done for the moment, but I must talk to you."

"Well, sure...I was just making a late dinner—come on in the kitchen."

"Tara, you know what you asked of me a few weeks back?"

"Yes, about..."

"Yes. I am afraid that is out of the question."

"Wait—why?"

"I have good reason to believe that various world governments are in collusion and want to finally get vampires in the lab to study them. I could not possibly in good conscience turn you at a time like this and put you in that kind of danger."

That Lafayette had been listening from the living room to their conversation was no secret. He burst into the kitchen, angry and undone.

"Tara Mae Thornton, am I hearin' what I think I'm hearin'? Now you want to be a vampire? Is you lost yo fucking mind? I don't mean any disrespect Bill, but..."

"Lafayette, I asked him weeks ago and told me to take more time to think about it. Calm the fuck down, already, you're both on the same damn page," she said disgustedly. "But if you _weren't _on

the same damn page trust that if he said yes you wouldn't be able to stop me."

"Tara—"

"Lafayette, I know this is your house, but would you please give us a moment alone? She was standing in the middle of the kitchen tapping the knife on her leg absently, looking down at the floor because she was too angry to look at either of the two of them.

"Yeah, okay, y'all talk. I got to go to work, anyway," he said and stormed out of the house cursing a blue streak.

"Tara," he began apologetically, "no one can be more disappointed than I, but it is just too dangerous right now."

"This is Bon Temps, Bill," she said, looking at him finally, "this is the damn world. It's never going to be safe," she spit the word out. "Do you want me or not? Because this is it, now or never. I told you how I feel. I told that I've thought it all through. I want you and it and all that comes with it. And either you want to give it to me or you don't. What's it gonna be?"

Bill rushed her with his vampire speed and took her roughly into his arms, fangs bared, and looked angrily into her eyes.

"I do not need your ultimatums—you are preaching to the choir, dear girl," he said menacingly. Bill yanked her hair around violently to marvel at her sweet, sleek neck and did what he'd been wanting to do ever since that night in the cemetery. He tore into her and she gasped, having been caught so stunningly off guard; she gave in to him completely as he tasted her sweet bloody nectar, at last.


	8. The Hunted Chasing The Hunters

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 8 The Hunted Chasing The Hunters.

Bill had left Tara reluctantly; he wanted to take her back home with him and possess her completely but it was imperative that he go and see Eric. He told her to meet him the next night at his house and that they would discuss more particulars and make the preparations necessary for her to join him in eternity; he gave her the instruction to take Vitamin B-12 and iron supplements, in the meantime. He began to apologize for his rough handling of her and she silenced him; first with her finger to his lips and then her own lips upon his, her kiss passionate, hungry and forgiving. They broke away from each other finally; she smiled her goodbye at him and sent him on his way.

* * *

><p>Bill reached Fangtasia and found a new vampire at Pam's old post. Had she not smiled at him he might not have recognized her at all.<p>

"King Bill," she greeted him with a warm hug. Bill was almost taken aback, but had to smile, despite himself. She was much changed yet very much still herself.

"Ginger, it is good to see you. You're looking well—being a vampire agrees with you," he complimented her sincerely. And apparently it had. She wasn't quite the Fashionista Pam had been, but was stylish in her own right, nonetheless. Gone were the raccoon eyes and trashy biker-chick wear, as well as the bleached-blond locks. Her make-up was more refined and in tune with the 21st century 'less is more' trend. Her hair, now its natural shade of copper-toned brown, looked softer and more delicate, gentle wisps caressing her cheek bones and the effect of her bobbed style in general evoking the ethereal look of an angel who had come down from the heavens.

She had on a stunning black metallic cropped genie blouse, delicate flowy sleeves billowing in the night air adding to her new exotic allure. A pair of expensive and well fitting flared skinny jeans and strappy high heels completed her look, as well as the air of the authority of being Eric's new Number 1.

"Thank you, my Liege. Surely you're here to see Eric, come with me." She delegated the door to another vampire as she passed him and took Bill straight to the dungeon, the wispy luxe tie of her blouse trailing dramatically behind her as she walked briskly through the crowded club.

"I'll warn you now, he's...preoccupied," she smiled at him conspiratorially and prepared to leave him.

"Just a moment, Ginger," Bill said as he reached out and touched her arm to stop her. "I am very sorry about Pam."

Ginger's face crumbled slightly and then she quickly regained her composure. "Thank you for that. I miss her greatly."

"I know that she and I had our disagreements, but I am sincere in telling you that I miss her, as well."

Ginger said nothing more, only nodded her thanks again as she dared to pat Bill's hand upon her arm.

"Ginger, one more thing..."

"Yes my Liege?"

"Trouble is brewing for our race, yet again. Be prepared to assist Eric in the coming days for a meeting with Nan Flanagan."

"Alright, I will," she looked a question.

"Eric will be able to explain more to you after I see him tonight. And please find Chow."

"That will be easy—he's back from China," she informed him.

"Good. Thank you, Ginger."

Ginger bowed her head and left him.

Bill proceeded down the dungeon steps and found Eric, who had not one but two, exquisitely beautiful human female sex slaves chained up for his satisfaction.

"Eric, we must talk," Bill said officiously.

"Whatever it is Bill, not now, I'm busy," Eric tells Bill in his signature arrogantly dismissive way.

A smirk forms on Bill's face; he is actually glad to have the old Eric back although it has come at the unfortunate price of hurting Sookie deeply.

"I am here on official Authority business," he informs him finally; only then does Eric, angrily, acquiesce.

Eric goes to the redheaded wonder first, looks her deep in her eyes, and growls in a low, sexy seductive voice, "You are deaf..." and then glamours the raven-haired beauty chained beside her in the same fashion. With that done he strolls naked over to Bill.

"My Liege?" Eric bows exaggeratedly then stands at attention, towering over Bill.

Bill relates the story of Julian Cromwell and Lucas Sewell and the other information that has come to light and under the emergency purview of the Authority. Eric is outraged, but not surprised, amazed that the crazy, inferior humans hadn't tried it before now.

"It was just a matter of time," Eric hisses, at the conclusion of Bill's update.

"Did you know them?" Bill asks.

"I know of Julian. He's 347 years old and a descendant of _the_ Cromwell's. I didn't know his fledgling."

"Nan wants a meeting with all of the area sheriffs by the end of this week."

"Fine."

"Ginger tells me that Chow is back."

"Yes."

"You will need to prepare him to handle your affairs here—Nan informed me that this new development will require some travel abroad."

"Fine. I take it she wants the meeting here?"

"Yes."

"Alright, see you at the end of the week, then."

Eric takes leave of Bill and returns to the two delectable morsels hanging like artwork in a gallery, on exhibit for his pleasure only.

Bill harrumphs, grudgingly amused, as Eric walks away from him, and then takes leave himself.


	9. Into Eternity

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 9 Into Eternity

When Lafayette returned home from work around 3 am, he found Tara awake and sitting on the couch having a beer. He looked at her and she looked at him but they said nothing to each other. He left the room and went to the kitchen; when he returned he had a beer in his hand. He went to the sofa and sat down next to her. Still neither of them spoke. Tara took a swig from the bottle and looked over at him, then turned away and set her bottle down lightly on the table.

"Well, I guess we know now what Ruby Jean was talking about," he said finally as he stared into the distance. He took a long swig of his own beer and set his bottle down lightly on the table, as well. "You know, I tried to be okay with this, you seein' Bill an' all, but you wanting to a vampire is..."

"Like I'm abandoning you?" she cut him off gently.

They looked each other in the eyes, at last.

"Yeah, somethin' like that," he admitted, tilting his head to the side and shaking it slowly. "I just don't understand, Tara Mae, how this could really be somethin' that you want..."

"But it is, Lafayette, and I may never be able to explain it to you, but it is. I'm goin' into this with my eyes open. Over time you may come to understand it—maybe you never will; I'm just asking that you keep loving me, as I'm gonna keep loving you."

"Will you really, Tara? Keep loving me? Vampires don't love—they sho don't love humans."

"One thing that I've learned about vampires is that's a damn lie. Some of them don't, I won't deny that, but not all of them hate humans, either. They're just people—dead people—but people; they're just as diverse in their attitudes and beliefs as anyone else; a lot of them are just as fucked up as any human person can be."

"Amen to _that _shit," he agreed.

"My point is, they love, whether they want to admit it or not; some of them can. Bill loves me so much that he wants me to share his existence with him forever and I love him enough that I want to."

"You gonna change, Tara," he said, wanting to believe her words with all of his heart but fearing that she was wrong.

"Yes, I am. I'll be undead, Lafayette, but I won't be unfeeling. Nothing can change how I feel about you, _ever_. That's the only thing I wish you would understand—and trust. I can't wait to prove your fears and distrust wrong. And I know we made a pact to stick this shitty world out together; if it wasn't for you I woulda been a dead bitch a long time ago," her voice faltered then as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Suddenly the memory of Eddie came to him; sweet Eddie, who if, truth be told, Lafayette had really cared about and had enjoyed making love with; who had contacted him from the other side through Marnie, speaking of the times they had shared together. Eddie had been so sweet and the nicest vampire he had ever met. Could Tara be right, after all?

"Tara, alright, now, stop," he hugged her to himself. "I'm gon try and get with this, I really am. It ain't gon be easy, I'll just be honest about that shit. But trust that I'ma be watchin' you like a hawk; you mess around an turn in to some 'ol evil, blood-bag hatin' vampire like Pam or some such shit? I'll be the _first_ one to stake yo ass."

Tara laughed and hugged him tighter, relieved and happy when she looked up and saw the reluctant smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Bill and Tara lay in his bed, basking in the afterglow of having pleasured each other for the last few hours, Tara's last time as a human.<p>

"It is time," he spoke softly and calmly to her, belying his great joy and excitement.

"I'm ready, Bill," she assured him as they both sat up in the bed to face each other.

"I am going to bite you, Tara, and drain the blood from your body to the point of near death; you will then drink from me and take your blood back in and mixed with my own. It is going to be painful, but the worst of it you will sleep through, buried in the earth and lying next to me. Come here," he said, as he held his arms out to her to come and sit in his lap. She positioned herself upon him, pulled her hair away from her neck and then embraced his. Bill bit into her, at last, viciously; greedily; given over completely to the blood lust as he brought her closer and closer to her death.

Finally he broke away from her, in a swoon and a fever, ready to feel her mouth upon him and her teeth in his flesh. He prepared to make a gash in his wrist when, to his horror, stopped him.

"No, not there," she gasped, barely able to get the words out, "there..." she moaned, guiding his hand to the tender flesh of the inside of his thigh.

_My wicked, wild child_, he smiled to himself, as he let out a groan of pure carnal delight and made the gash there as instructed. Tara was upon him instantly. She gripped his buttocks with one powerful hand and placed the other on his smooth cold chest, pushing him down into sweet oblivion. She sank her teeth into him and sucked; long, hard rapturous draughts, merciless in her desire for him. She brought her hand down then, caressing the length of him until her hand reached his erect member and stroked it as she took her life back in to herself. The sight of her head bobbing up and down between his legs combined with the voodoo she was working on him with her hands brought Bill to a point of ecstasy he had never experienced before.

Finally the moment came for him to disengage her.

"Tara, I love you," he murmured into her neck as he held her now, limp in his arms, the vampiric torpor beginning already to claim her and take her away from him. She heard his words but was unable to speak, unable to move; she looked at him but felt nothing but the heaviness of her limbs as everything went black.

* * *

><p>Jessica and Lafayette sat together quietly next to the open grave, waiting. Jessica felt nothing of the cold frosty ground, but Lafayette had found it necessary after a few minutes to stand and warm himself up.<p>

Jessica, noting his discomfort, stood up as well. "They should be here any minute," she said apologetically to him.

"I'm cool," he said simply. Jessica was a sweet girl, he thought to himself. Yet he still couldn't believe his Black ass was standing out in the middle of a cold-ass March night, in the fucking woods, waiting to bury his cousin. "Fuckedupness," he muttered to himself under his breath as he shook his head for the hundredth time that night.

"What?" Jessica asked him.

"Nothin' baby girl. I'm just cold, is all."

Suddenly Bill appeared, as if out of thin air, holding Tara in his arms wrapped in a blanket. He approached Lafayette.

"Thank you, Lafayette, I understand that this is difficult for you," he said, his appreciation tinged with great empathy.

"Yeah, you just take care of her, Bill," Lafayette said, as resigned to the situation as he could be.

Jessica went to Bill and kissed his cheek. "Congratulations—now get in already!" she scolded him like a mother hen. Bill kissed her cheek in return, laid his love in the ground gingerly and then joined her. Immediately Jessica and Lafayette began to fill the grave. When it was finally done Lafayette produced blunt from his jacket pocket and lit up.

"Do you smoke, Jessica?" he offered the first toke to her.

"Are you kidding? Me? I never tried it."

"Do you want to?"

"No, you go ahead, but thanks anyway," she smiled at him. "Are you...okay Lafayette?" she asked him, genuinely worried about him.

"I'll be alright. I think." They both chuckled. "Was it like this...for you, when it happened?" he asked as he pointed to the mound where Tara and Bill lay.

"Oh...no, it was very different for me, but I'm glad it happened. I'm happy to be what I am, and you couldn't ask for a better maker. I mean, we got off to a rocky start, but Bill has been the father I always dreamed of having."

"Wow. That's some deep shit." The soothing effects of the special blend in his blunt had started to take effect. He sat down on the ground, now oblivious to the cold and discomfort. Jessica joined him.

"Lafayette, are you alright? We don't have to stay out here, you know, they'll be okay and we'll see them tomorrow evening."

"Just give me a minute."

"Sure."

"So tell me, Jessica—how are _you_, really?" he asked her sincerely.

"You mean Hoyt, of course. I'm okay now—even better since I quit Merlotte's," she declared angrily. "I can't believe what a big jerk he turned out to be." Somehow, despite her promise to herself that she would never cry over him again, tears sprang to her eyes.

"Baby girl, Hoyt is not a jerk. He is and always has been a big 'ol baby—and so are you, actually...how long's you been a vampire, anyway? A coupla years?"

"Yep, just about." Jessica struggled to keep her composure.

"He tried to be a man with you, but he wasn't really ready. And neither were you, just bein' a teenager _and_ a baby vampire. Hell, under other circumstances y'all might have been perfect for each other. Illegal, but perfect for each other."

Jessica laughed despite herself through the blood tears that had begun to run down her face. Lafayette hugged her to him after he looked at her and saw her tears.

"He's got some growin' to do, and so do you. That ain't no crime, it's just a fact. You is already light years ahead of him, so you gonna have to find you somebody else. That ain't no crime, either. When the time and the person is right, you'll know it. Gonna be a lot of imposters along the way, tho," he warned her gently. He felt her nod her head in acceptance of his words against his chest.

"Lafayette?"

"What, baby girl?"

"Thanks."

"C'mon...let's get you on home..." he smiled down at her, as realized that he was now a part of her family and she a part of his.

"Will you sit with me until sunup?"

"Sure I will."

They got in his truck and left for Bill's house.


	10. My Daughter, My Self

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 10 My Daughter, My Self

The next evening, deep in the woods of Bon Temps, two vampires rose from their shared grave, hungry for blood and in their desire for each other.

Tara clawed her way through the cold damp earth and emerged first, naked, caked with dirt and fully aware of what she now was, spitting out dirt as she gasped for her first full breath as a vampire. Bill emerged right behind her and it was she who took his hand and pulled him up and out of the grave and then into her embrace.

"Tara," her name issued forth from his mouth like a gentle caress upon her skin.

"I'm hungry..." she informed him through desperate kisses to his dirt-streaked face.

"I know. There are clothes for you there, behind that log. Get dressed and then we will hunt."

"No, after we feed," she said breathlessly, "I'll clean up then."

Bill scooped her up in his arms and then, with her safely ensconced within his embrace, ran into the night with her in search of a victim.

* * *

><p>Jessica rose from her cubby with the dying sunlight, refreshed and happy. Bill had told her to be ready to receive them around midnight or so. She went upstairs hoping to find Lafayette still at the house. On the way to the drawing room she was stopped by a guard.<p>

"Miss Jessica, Lafayette asked me to tell you that he will be back by midnight as you both agreed."

"Thanks, Sherman."

Well, that wasn't a real surprise. She figured he had things of his own to do. They'd talked and watched a movie together until it had been time for Jessica to retire. When she left him she told him to stay as long as he liked and then had given him a kiss on the cheek, which he returned with an affectionate one to her forehead.

It was just as well. She changed her clothes and then left to go get dinner.

* * *

><p>When Bill and Tara returned to the mansion they headed straight for the shower, where they cleaned all the grit, grime and dried blood from themselves and then made love.<p>

By the time they'd finally gotten dressed it was already 9 pm.

"Tara, there are some things I must address in my office. Come with me...you are my Consort now, and you need to be debriefed about the affairs at hand."

"Alright, but I need to see a few people this evening, before we meet with Jessica and Lafayette, alright?"

"Of course. May I ask who?"

"My mother and my aunt Ruby Jean. It won't take long, I promise."

Bill looked worried.

"Your mother? Are you sure you want to have that conversation tonight, Tara?" Bill knew of the strained relations between her and her mother and feared that the meeting could only result in heartbreak.

"Yes. I can handle it." she assured him. "Let's go to your office, I'm anxious to know what exactly _is_ going on."

Bill could only feel pride as he looked upon this stunning woman, now a stunning vampire. He took her hand and led her downstairs.

* * *

><p>All she could feel was sickened by the documents she'd read in Bill's office as she raced to her mother's house. Whoever was behind this bullshit was going to be sorry, she vowed within herself.<p>

She arrived at Lettie Mae's new house, the one she now shared with her husband, Reverend Daniels.

She knocked on the door.

"Who is it at this hour? Who's there?" she called through the door."

"It's me, mama."

"Tara Mae?" came her mother's shocked voice. "Baby? Hold on, baby, I'm coming," she said excitedly, rushing to the door now. She opened it wide and hugged her daughter as she pulled her in.

"Oh, Tara Mae, I'm so glad to see you! How you like my new house, huh? Don't you love it?" she beamed proudly, happy for herself at her own good fortune.

"It's real nice, mama, real nice," Tara answered her sweetly, calmly waiting for the moment when her mother would settle down and really see her.

"Tara, you don't sound happy for me at all—what's the matter? What..." and then Lettie Mae took in the sight of her daughter fully: her daughter had a strange caste to her skin tone, and she saw the hint of fangs just barely caressing her bottom lip through her thin smile.

"Oh, My God! Tara! Who did this to you, baby?" she cried out and began to weep.

"No one did anything to me, mama—I chose this of my own free will."

That stopped Lettie Mae cold, and the full realization of her daughter's statement sunk into her like a heavy stone chucked into a pond. The color drained from her face and she felt like she was going to be sick.

"Mama," Tara began as she reached out to her mother.

"Demon! Killer!" she screamed at her. "You get away from me. I'm so glad the Good Reverend is not here to see this," she spat at her. "How could you choose to be a vampire if you weren't the demon sent from hell I always thought you might be? When I tell Lafayette..." she began threateningly.

"He already knows, mama."

"Oh, does he now? Y'all is both good for nothin' hell spawn!"

"You can say whatever you like about me, but don't you EVER talk about Lafayette like that again!" Tara roared at her.

"Yeah, you two hell spawn have always stuck together and hell is where you're both goin'! I ain't never raised you to do nothin' like this," Lettie Mae hissed at her.

"That's right, mama, you ain't never raised me at all." Tara leveled the truth at her mother and then caught herself. "That's not what I'm here about," she said through clenched jaws.

"In the name of Jesus Christ I rescind my invitation to you to enter this house!" Lettie Mae said then, smugly and self-righteously.

A strong wind rose up in the house, the force of a small whirlwind but nothing happened.

"In the name of Jesus Christ I rescind my invitation to you to enter this house!" she cried out, as if her God hadn't heard her the first time. But something in Tara was strong, indomitable...it still didn't work, which terrified Lettie Mae even more.

"IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST I RESCIND MY INVITATION TO YOU TO ENTER THIS HOUSE!" she screamed out, frantically, the whirlwind now a small enough tornado that items in the room began to hurl about.

"I love you, mama," Tara said softly, the wind whipping wildly through her hair, a blood tear spilling down her cheek. "And my love is stronger than your hate; stronger than your fear. Goodbye, mama."

She left Lettie Mae's house on her own will, heading bravely to her destiny.

Lettie Mae broke down into tortured sobs, realizing that she'd lost her child, and not just to the world or vampires. She knew in her heart, amazed that her daughter could even remotely still love her, that Tara's words had been true; and that it was all her own fault that she had cast her own self, unnecessarily, out of her daughter's life once and for all.

* * *

><p>She knocked on the window of Ruby Jean's room lightly. She could see her stirring fitfully in her sleep. Alarmed, she dared to knock louder, not caring who it might alert as long as she could wake Ruby Jean up.<p>

Ruby Jean awoke with a start, drenched in sweat, the bad dreams that had assaulted here still fresh and present. Jesus was calling her, always calling her and trying to get her to let him in. It was a nightly struggle that she wasn't sure she could keep up much longer. He knew to attack her in her dreams; but even though she had been driven insane by her talents and the consequences of those who had been against her she had still been strong enough to fight him. She was fighting for her LaLa, because that was who Jesus really wanted.

She sat up to take a drink of water from the bottle on her night stand and heard a strong rap at her window. It was Tara Mae. She got up and rushed over to it, threw open the sash and let her in.

"Auntie," Tara sobbed into her arms as they embraced.

"You saw your mama. It's gonna be alright, child, I promise," said Ruby Jean in that sane soothing voice that Tara loved so much to hear.

Tara looked up at her finally, trying to compose herself. "Auntie, are you alright? You looked like you were having a fight there in bed..."

"I was. Jesus is strong, but he's not as strong as you and LaLa. He wants his power, baby. He's been after it all this time. I can see that you have a lot on your plate right now," she said as she stroked Tara's pale face, "but you must protect my LaLa—you're the only one who can."

"I understand, Auntie. You have my promise on that."

"I know, baby; _my daughter, my self_. This course of action you've taken has assured that you will not meet my fate."

Ruby Jean's words washed over Tara like the cleansing waters in a rippling river.

"What can I do for you, auntie? I want to take you away from here."

"This is the best place for me now. I know it doesn't seem like it, but right now this is the safest place I can be. We are going to win this battle, Tara Mae, do you understand me?"

"Yes, auntie," she said with conviction, but Tara was crying.

"Stop crying. I saw this a long, long time ago. It is all almost over. Go on now, you have important matters to deal with, you and your King. You go to him now and tell him I said thank you; for loving you and giving you this precious, precious gift. It is a gift, Tara. LaLa is going to realize that one day, as well. Go on now, I need to get some sleep." Ruby Jean gave her niece a warm bear hug and a kiss on the forehead. Tara found it almost impossible to release her. Then a light bulb went off in her head.

"Auntie, what if..."

Ruby Jean cut her off. "Oh, I do love you, Tara Mae. But my brain is too damaged now to be one of you. But I thank you for the offer. Go on, baby."

"Goodbye, auntie. I'll be back soon," Tara assured her.

"I'll be here," she said smiling, as she watched Tara go.


	11. Disclosure

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter11 Disclosure

When Lafayette walked through the door of Bill's house and laid his eyes on his cousin for the first time since her turning he just couldn't hold back his tears and he didn't care who witnessed them. She still looked the same with the exception of her strange paler skin color, but still she was radiant. Standing there in a tank top and jeans and combat boots she looked as she always had: down to earth and unpretentious. But he could see plainly that she was a much different and newer force in town to be reckoned with, so much more so than she had been in the past.

She walked over to him, hugged him mightily, took his hand and led him to the private drawing room where Bill and Jessica were waiting. Jessica ran to greet him with a hug of her own.

"Lafayette," Bill smiled at him warmly, "Welcome back, and again thank you."

Lafayette wiped at the corner of his eye and sheepishly nodded at Bill.

"We have many things to discuss tonight. Tara, Jessica and I have some prescient matters to attend to of which I want to fill you in on , as well, Lafayette. I don't know what is coming in the days ahead, but we must all protect ourselves. If you would be agreeable I would like it very much if you came here to stay, at least for the time that we attend to the matter at hand."

"Uh, well, tell me what's going on and then maybe I can determine if that will even be necessary. I mean, I surely appreciate the offer, but just what the hell is going on?"

Before Bill could explain he sensed another visitor approaching. "Please excuse me, he said to them all as he went to the phone behind the bar.

While he was preoccupied on the phone Tara turned to Lafayette and said, "I've gotta talk to you about Ruby Jean when we're done. We're gonna have to deal with Jesus at some point, soon. I saw her earlier tonight—he's been attacking her in her dreams."

"You saw her tonight?"

"Yes, and Lettie Mae, too. I'll tell you all about it as soon as Bill is done."

"Yes, go ahead," Bill said irritatedly. He approached the group with an uncomfortable look on his face.

"What?" asked Tara gently.

Before he could answer they could all hear Sookie calling for Bill and her footsteps as she marched through the door.

Jessica moved closer to Tara and whispered delicately into her ear. "I kind of feel for her, being dumped by Eric and all, but she's been coming around a lot lately always with some crazy request of Bill or other. She wants Bill to hire a contractor to remove Eric's cubby from her house. I think it's just an excuse to see Bill, myself—I'm just sayin'..." she concluded as Bill left to go and retrieve her from the foyer.

Tara patted Jessica's hand in thanks and waited for the inevitable.

"...so I was just wonderin' if you'd made any calls yet and when I can expect to get that infernal room sealed up? Bill? You're not even listening to me," she scolded him as he led her to the drawing room.

"Hello, Sookie."

Sookie turned towards the voice that had called her name and confirmed it's owner, shock registering on her face.

"Tara?" then she looked and saw Lafayette. "What's going on here?" she asked as if she had the right to know. "Bill? Will somebody fucking answer me? Jessica, what's this all about?"

"Hi Sookie. Maybe you should have a seat," Jessica suggested delicately.

"I think I'll stand, thank you." Sookie looked back at Tara, where Bill was standing at her side, his arm encircled about her waist. Tara smiled at her, almost apologetically as she distended her fangs.

"What the fuck?" Sookie said in obvious shock as her legs went out from under her.

* * *

><p>When Sookie came to she was lying on a couch, Lafayette tending to her with a cold compress to her forehead.<p>

"So, this is why you've been cloaking your thoughts all this time," she said in a whisper. He gave her a look as if to say, "Ya think?" as he smiled down at her. She sat up angrily, and addressed them all. "Why did none of you think you could tell me about this? What did you think I was gonna do, anyway? Be angry?" she turned her gaze to Bill. "Be _jealous?_" she looked at Tara. "Run from the room screaming?" she looked at Lafayette and Jessica.

"Sookie, you've been so torn up over Eric,"Jessica began sympathetically.

"And you've been a wreck over Hoyt, but you didn't curl up in a ball and die, and neither would I have," she shot back at her.

"Sook, don't take it out on Jessica, or anyone else, for that matter. Nobody here was going out of their way to keep a secret..."

"I fuckin' was," Lafayette admitted.

"Thank you, Lafayette, for being honest. I'm so tired of being lied to, which by the way," she directed her fury at the three vampires in the room, "silent omission is tantamount to. You should all know me better than that by now. So, Tara, are you just his progeny or his progeny _and_ his lover?" she asked in an indignant huff.

"She is my progeny and my _Consort_, as the King of Louisiana, Sookie," Bill corrected her firmly, his meaning for her to calm down and show some respect apparent in his tone and stance.

"I'm going home. It's been made quite clear here tonight that none of you is really my friend, at all."

"Sookie, wait," Tara pleaded. "We haven't talked to each other for months, since the night of the war. I didn't think you'd ever forgive me for my actions in working with Marnie. I didn't know how to begin to approach you."

"Well, you've certainly made it apparent that you've switched your allegiance. Good for you. I hope you stick with it and don't decide to become some other supe du jour anytime in the near future," she shot back snarkily.

"Sookie, that's enough." Bill warned her.

"I don't answer to you, Bill Compton."

"No, you don't. But I will not tolerate such disrespect in my house."

"Fair enough. And you never will again. I don't care if I never see any of you again. And Lafayette, don't think that just because you were honest with me means I'm any less hurt. I don't know how in the world I'm gonna be able to work with you from now on? But just keep it professional and keep your distance and I'm sure we'll be just fine."

With that Sookie stormed out.

"Well, I think that went pretty well, what about you guys?" Jessica asked them all in earnest.

Bill just sighed heavily as he rubbed Tara's shoulders; Tara shook her head and rolled her eyes to the heavens exasperatedly; Lafayette sat down on the couch, whipped out his fan and said simply, "_I_ needs a drank. And a smoke...and a new job..."


	12. Nan Calls A Meeting

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 12 Nan Calls A Meeting

The appointed night came for the meeting with Nan Flanagan at Fangtasia where Eric, Ginger, Chow, Jessica and the other Area Sheriff's were in attendance. Julian Cromwell was also in attendance looking a little uncomfortable at the prospect of actually meeting the venerable Nan Flanagan in person. Bill was standing with Tara, who became aware suddenly that Eric was eying her intently.

Eric, having regained his memory in full, recalled the night at Marnie's when Tara foolishly tried to take him down. But what she would have been surprised to know was that he harbored no grudge. In fact, now that it was all over he was amazingly detached from it all. If only it hadn't cost him Pam he would have been able to even laugh about it. At the time he had not even realized who she was; not that she was Lafayette's cousin, let alone a friend of Sookie's. Not that it would have saved her. No, the only thing that saved Tara that night was Marnie's spell upon him.

Nan arrived in her usual military flourish, a dozen armed guards flanking her.

"Good, everyone is here. I take it that you are Julian Cromwell?"

"Yes, Ms. Flanagan, I am," he said a touch nervously.

"I'm sorry to meet you under such unfortunate circumstances. Let's get on with it, shall we?" she directed her comment to all.

"Nan, I must introduce you to my newest progeny and Consort, Tara Thornton."

"Hello, Ms. Flanagan," Tara stepped up to her respectfully.

Nan eyed her openly, and with immediate malice. All of the vampires in the room became visibly tense, except for Eric, who was only mildly intrigued; he walked over surreptitiously to the front of the bar where he had a better view of events that were unfolding.

"Well, Ms. Thornton, I see you bring a little something extra to the table. Why should the Authority trust you? You could be a mole, for all we know," Nan began snidely, getting right to the point. "We don't actually know what knowledge you gained from Marnie or Antonia Gavilan, or how you might use that knowledge against us, now, do we?"

"I learned a great deal—from both of them," Tara informed her menacingly. "But if I my agenda was the same as theirs I'm sure you would have known that already and had me put down by now."

"Not necessarily. Greater men have been distracted by the feminine wiles of much lesser creatures than yourself. Marry the King and gain the keys to the kingdom while he...sleeps," Nan says the word mockingly and with great derision, "...oldest trick in the book. Always works on idiots."

Bill had known Nan long enough not to take her derogatory words personally. But Tara's temper was well documented and he watched her cautiously, looking for the first cue that he should defuse the situation that was growing more explosive by the minute. He watched, on guard, as Tara stepped closer to Nan, in a clear display of her lack of fear. Every vampire in the room was on edge and mesmerized at what was taking place before their eyes, as Eric stood in front of the bar now, arms crossed in front of his broad chest, looking regal and feigning boredom.

"Let's be clear," Tara began, her calm words coming through clenched teeth, "I don't give a rats ass what you think of me..."

"Tara," Bill cautioned her with his stern tone and look in his eyes that cried out for her to back down.

"Thank you, my Liege, I respectfully request to continue," she said in that same measured voice, never once taking her eyes off of Nan.

Bill nodded consent and a warning; Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Somebody out there is scoping vampires, ready to populate slabs in laboratories and commit who knows what unspeakable atrocities. I don't care if you believe me or trust me; the only one in this room I'm compelled to prove my worthiness to is the King of Louisiana. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to die for. I just hope that if I do die it's at the hand of the enemy and not some blow-hard, talking head, vampire POLITICIAN!" she spits at her venomously.

The other area sheriff's let out and audible and collective gasp; Julian Cromwell had been amazed that Nan Flanagan allowed this fledgling vampire to continue such a show of insolence; Jessica's jaw dropped to the floor. Bill kept a respectful stance, but secretly smiled inside of himself, proud that Tara was his.

In front of the bar Eric stood smiling openly, wondering why he had never really paid attention to Tara before now.

"Calm down, Tara," Nan said at last, smiling at her, greatly impressed. She looked over at Bill with a wicked gleam in her eye. "You continually amaze me, Bill. Congratulations...and well done. You're lucky you found her first."

Over at the bar Eric silently agreed.


	13. Delegation

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Ch 13 Delegation

"Alright, now that we have that out of the way, let's get down to the real matter at hand, people," Nan continued after putting Tara through the paces. "You've all read the report sent to you earlier and are familiar with Mr. Cromwell's unfortunate experience. We've located the area where Mr. Cromwell went to ground and have already conducted an extensive search of the area. Nothing was found that could help us pinpoint where Mr. Cromwell and his progeny had been held. We've found no area within a 200 mile radius—which is the farthest distance Mr. Cromwell could have flown in his debilitated state—that even remotely resembles the concreted area he described in his testimony.

"It goes without saying that the whole incident was a set up; that Mr. Cromwell and Mr. Sewell had been observed during their two week visit to New Orleans and that the two humans they followed that night were decoys used to lure them into capture. We need to know where the facility is located where they were held, of course. We've sent operatives to the bar and interrogated the owner and several patrons that were there that night; they were glamoured, but nothing on the decoy couple was discerned. However, information has since come to us regarding two patrons who were at a table next to this couple—Sylvia James and Taryn Polk. Blackburn," she turned to the scowling thousand year-old vampire, who stepped up to her at attention.

"Yes, Nan?"

"You will be given their dossiers to go over and interrogate them. You'll be accompanied by squadron of armed guards; half of which will guard your coffin by day, the other half of which will surveill these humans until you take over in the evening. You'll do this for a week. I want those humans fine-tooth combed within an inch of their lives before you approach them."

"Yes, Nan," Blackburn said with a snarl. Blackburn was vicious and bloodthirsty, and more than up to the task at hand.

"Duprez..."

"Yes, Nan?"

"You will will now officially run both Areas 1 and 4."

Duprez bowed his head in accordance.

"Kirsch, you are now the official Sheriff of Area 3."

"Thank you, Nan."

"Isabel, you are now officially the Sheriff of Area 9."

"Thank you, Nan," Isabel said quietly.

"Blackburn, you will officially be Sheriff of Area 2 upon return from your assignment in New Orleans. In the meantime, vampires in all states are on high alert until we find the perpetrators behind Cromwell and Sewell's abduction. Until this situation is neutralized all vampires are advised to be vigilant. If you find yourself in the untenable situation of abduction are unable to escape it is IMPERATIVE that you destroy yourself, preferably through self-immolation; whoever is behind this abominable activity must not be allowed the opportunity to possess even one vampire for scientific study. I assure you that they've assessed the severity of their blunder in letting Mr. Cromwell escape and that they are making corrections as we speak. We must stay a step ahead of them and resolve that we will find them—and then make them pay dearly."

The vampires all nodded their agreement.

"King Bill, Eric— " she addressed them now, "We have word from the European Vampire Alliance that Sarah Newlin was recently spotted in Belarus—Steve Newlin was not with her. I want you both to go and investigate. You'll be provided the same level of security as Blackburn. I want you both there within two days."

"Yes, Nan," said Bill with a bow of his head.

"Eric, what's the problem," she asked him, perturbed and insulted that his attention appeared to be elsewhere, which it had been.

He had been observing everyone in the room, for instance, Cromwell, who had looked pained and uncomfortable throughout the entire meeting; Blackburn and Jessica, who had taken note of one another early on and were now eye-raping each other unabashedly; Isabel, sad, tragic Isabel, still feeling guilt over Godric and pining over her stupid human, Hugo. And why, exactly, did she not register surprise at the report that Sarah Newlin had been seen in Belarus, like the other vampires in the room? Every vampire in America worth his or her salt wanted to sink their fangs into that jackass and take him down for good. Of course, Eric was biased and he knew it; regardless of the trust Godric had put into her or the decisions he made for himself later, Isabel was simply someone he would never trust, especially not her judgment. That Nan had made her Sheriff of Dallas was simply beyond ridiculous—Blackburn should have gotten Dallas instead of Mississippi. He even gave Bill credit for turning the human he loved into a vampire—and what a vampire she was. But Isabel was to him the poster child for what goes wrong when one keeps humans as pets. In Eric's opinion if a human one had "feelings" for wasn't worthy enough to be turned then there were only three things they _were_ good for: feeding, fucking and killing. He realized he'd made a mistake of his own with Yvetta; but he knew where she was and her days were numbered.

"Eric," came Nan's irritated call to attention.

"Nan, I assure you that my attention has been rapt and well focused on the matters at hand," Eric responded in a tone that was respectful, yet dismissive.

Nan smirked and let out a groan of indignation, but said no more to him. "Alright then, the last matter concerns you, Mr. Cromwell—the Authority insists that you stay at King Bill's mansion until this matter is resolved." It was not a question but a demand of each party.

"That will be fine. Mr. Cromwell, I assure you that you will be afforded every comfort," Bill said to him sympathetically, knowing full well that what Cromwell really wanted was to be done with them all and get back to the anonymity of his previous existence.

"Thank you for your kind invitation," was all that Cromwell politely said.

"This meeting is adjourned. You all have preparations to make. Thank you in advance for your continued cooperation and efforts," Nan said at last and left Fangtasia and the vampires to talk amongst themselves.

Blackburn lingered a while to finally have words with Jessica, but Kirsch and Duprez beat a hasty retreat; Tara, Ginger and Chow were in discussion over at the bar. Isabel looked at Eric as if she wanted to say something, but then thought better of it and left them all.

Cromwell was sitting now at a table looking like he'd rather be staked if he couldn't go home.

Bill approached Eric now, looking weary and preoccupied with his own personal concerns.

"What was that between you and Isabel?"

"I think she knows something," Eric confessed, but did not elaborate.

"Well, it's been a long evening. Belarus..."

"Yes, Belarus."

"Goodnight, Eric."

"Bill."

Bill called Tara, Jessica and Cromwell together and then, they too, took leave of Fangtasia.


	14. Worlds Within Him

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 14 Worlds Within Him

It wasn't even quite eleven o'clock when Bill, Tara Jessica and Julian left Fangtasia for the hour long ride home. The ride was a quiet one as each vampire in the limousine sat absorbed in their own thoughts.

Julian sat next to Jessica silently, not really paying attention to her or the King and his lovely, if fiery, Consort, across from him. Love emanated from them; quiet, stately—engulfing. It had been like that for him Lucas. They had not been prone to public displays of affection by any stretch of the imagination. When they had hunted they were as two actors playing a part: young men out on the town doing what young men out on the town do—namely sex, drugs and rock n' roll. Of course, they didn't partake in the sex or the drugs, but who didn't like rock n' roll? Lucas had actually been quite a fine musician and had played briefly as a drummer in a local Shreveport band before Julian turned him. But their passion for each other burned hot and passionately behind closed doors, for their eyes only.

He longed to be home now, in their little house in Caddo Parish, amongst any of the things that had belonged to his love: his drums; the framed collage of photos Lucas' mother had put together and sent of his elementary school years, when every smile was missing a tooth and every picture was evidence that the boy was determined to break a bone in one way or another and have fun while doing it. He had been a boy's boy alright; falling out of trees he should have known better than to climb; jujitsu lessons where he was the lesson plan; skateboarding down rails or walls where the trajectory, preferably, led to oncoming traffic—the child had kept his mother in a state alarm and worry all of his natural life. Most people had simply said he had an adventurous nature—she said he simply had "A death wish".

If he couldn't go home he would have been happy just to be alone. He told himself he could get through it all as long that opportunity presented itself, and he knew he just needed to be calm, keep his mouth closed and wait for it to happen as patiently as possible.

Jessica looked across to see her maker and his love holding hands and she was quite simply happy for them both. Her thoughts then careened into Blackburn, who'd told her he wanted to see her when he came back; that he would love to go hunting with her some night and share in a kill. That had turned her on immensely.

She had determined quite some time back, before she ever shared her blood with Jason, that regular sex was never going to be the end all, be all for her, and neither would Hoyt. Of course it had everything to do with her hymen. But it seemed that nature had given her another alternative, because she loved the hunt and relished the kill when she finally took a victim down. For her the blood was _everything_, and the orgasm she experienced with every kill only confirmed it. As a matter of fact, she could have been knocked over with a feather when she found out that vampires not only enjoyed but had the need for sex. She could see despotic humans, 21st century Hitlers, wanting to unlock the secrets behind vampirism and committing the same heinous crimes he had. Hell, she even wondered how it all worked, scientifically and such—but not badly enough that vampires should be abducted and experimented on. She was happy to chalk it up to magic or even God, if you had to. Really, why couldn't a god who could create something as fucked up as a platypus not create vampires, as well?

The bottom line for Jessica was that the universe had provided her another option and a means through which she could achieve orgasm, and in what she thought was the purest and best way possible, and even better than sex: _the blood. _The love of her existence would have to be a vampire. She didn't know if Blackburn was that vampire, but she promised herself she was sure going to have fun finding out.

Tara's only concern during the ride home had been the look on Bill's face. He held her hand tightly in his own, unspoken and restrained desire emanating from every intermittent squeeze. There was a smile on his face for her but behind that smile was great pain, losing its battle to stay contained behind a mask of strength; the mask that every man must wear, human and undead, when others are looking to him for guidance and protection. Tara didn't care what humans or other vampires thought or said: she knew she still had a heart and hers was breaking for him.

Bill was content as he sat next to Tara, chastely holding her hand as the crisp, chilly night air washed over them all from the open moon roof. He loved this particular expanse of road that was adorned on both sides with an abundance of magnolia trees. It was only March so the citronella-scented flowers were not yet in bloom, and wouldn't be until May, but he could almost smell their delightful fragrance, anyway. Suddenly he imagined his Tara in his humongous Roman tub, dozens of the fragrant beauties floating on the water around them both as she sat nestled in his arms...if only he had the _time_.

Bill found that he never had time, anymore, to enjoy the things he loved about being a vampire. He did not miss the sunlight as so many vampires secretly did—or openly, as Russell Edgington had; he did not long to be a day walker—that was his past. The few moments he had spent in the sunlight after drinking Sookie's blood had been interesting but a little underwhelming, for him, at least. He was a creature of the night and he had resigned himself to that fact on the dreadful night he went home to Caroline, to find her frightened and alone, their young Thomas dead and his daughter Sarah gone.

As the limousine finally approached the gate to the mansion Bill was surprised to find that he was, indeed, feeling bitter. He missed the days when he'd first returned to Bon Temps and to his home, which had been in great disrepair but had suited him. He had fixed what was necessary and provided himself only a few creature comforts: a proper tub and shower, a cubby under the house with its hidden trap door to retreat to in the daylight hours; a bed; that sumptuous velvet blood-red Queen Anne sofa where he could sit and entertain his guests or play that ridiculous Wii game that he'd grown entirely too fond of. Now there were gates and cameras, his home crawling with security guards day and night...sometimes it was all really too much. And where was the payoff? Where was the benefit really of vampires assimilating into the human culture? Humans had a long history of despising those who were different, even as they admired and emulated the very people they despised! Too much...it had always been too much to ask of humans to actually _be_ human. That hate hadn't ceased to exist; the bloodshed and carnage hadn't stopped; the politics were just as fucked as they had always been. Vampires were now just visible scapegoats for every world ill, still objects of intrigue and desire but also scorn and derision, enough so that governments had plotted finally to put them under the glass and pull out their pretty little preternatural fangs. It was too much.

And just as a married man who surveys the trappings of his life and his responsibilities looks back on his carefree bachelor days with winsome longing and regret for the path not taken, Bill thought of all the ways his existence would have been different had he simply turned Nan down that night in London. And knowing that playing the "What If" game was a dangerous one, he played it anyway—but stopped when he got to the part where he would never have met Tara.

Finally they entered the house and Bill ushered them all in to the private drawing room. He could see that each of them was as mentally exhausted as he was, from everything they had heard and that they were all working on their own private concerns.

"Julian—may I call you Julian?" Bill asked him.

"Certainly, my Liege."

"Julian, are you hungry? We have donors available to attend your every need should you—"

"I don't mean to be rude, but I would like to just retire to my room, if you don't mind, King Bill," Julian cut him off nervously.

"I understand perfectly," Bill smiled at him genuinely. "Jessica, would you be kind enough to show Julian his room and his cubby."

"Sure, come with me, Mr. Cromwell..."

"Julian," he said appreciatively and smiled at her as they walked out of the room.

Bill turned to face Tara, who had forgone her usual casual attire and had worn a simple but elegant white maxi sun dress. She looked like a Grecian queen who had just stepped from the pages of Homer's Odyssey.

"Look at how beautiful you are..." he said as he walked over to her and then took her in his arms. "How is it that I have so little time to spend with you as I want to?"

"We're going to get through this," she smiled up at him. "I have it on good authority that we're going to win this battle."

"And whose authority would that be?" he asked her as he placed his forehead upon hers.

"From my aunt Ruby Jean. She's seen it all, everything that has happened—me becoming a vampire—all of it. She told me to thank you, by the way."

"She did? For what?"

"For loving me and giving me the gift of eternity with you."

"You are the only gift I can see, Tara Mae Thornton. And as much as I would like to throw you on this very floor and ravish you I am afraid we must fight, instead," he said as he broke away from her.

"What do you mean?"

"There are things I must show you about yourself, even more urgently now that I am to be away from you. It is going to be a crash course, but you are a quick study and an able fighter in your own right, this will be a piece of cake for you."

"Bill, let me go with you..."

"No, Tara, as my Consort you must stay and handle affairs here in my stead," he said gently but firmly. "There's so much I want to tell you, so much I want to share with you...Tara, I have been an imperfect man and an imperfect vampire."

"Well, at least you can admit that. How many men have ruined lives, corrupted governments, brought down nations—killed innocent people—because they wouldn't admit that fact about themselves? Of course you've been imperfect—we all have been; we all are."

"I'm afraid that you are biased about me, my love," he smiled at her.

"Yes...but I'm also right."

"Come with me now—we have a room where we train. Everything I do not get to tonight Jessica will be able to show you."

"Well then, let her show me all of it. I need you to do something else with me, right now..."


	15. Goodbyes And Farewells

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 15 Goodbyes And Farewells

Bill acquiesced to Tara's wish and then retreated with her to his bedroom—their bedroom, now. They had only a few hours to spend together as he and Eric were to fly out to Belarus that same morning, and to be loaded on their private plane before dawn. There finally and behind their closed and locked door, he carried her to the bed and stood her upon it; he buried his head between her legs, through the soft fabric of her dress, gently lifting the hem as he pulled her panties down to her ankles so that she could step out of them. Finally, his true target was revealed and he parted her legs a bit more so that he could place the first of his loving kisses upon her waiting lips. Above him she threw her head back in ecstasy, cradling his head in her hands, lost in his expert attention to her and eager to return her favor upon him.

Their lovemaking was fevered and urgent, as with all lovers who find that they are parting under difficult circumstances and the advent of undesired separation. Bill could do things to her, now—with her—as as he never would have been able to do when she was human. After the few precious hours they'd had together drew to a close and at the moment of orgasm, they bit into each other, drinking each other in completely, becoming one soul, their bond renewed and forever cemented in love and blood.

* * *

><p>Jessica and Tara stood with him at the front door. He gave Jessica a kiss on the cheek.<p>

"Be a good girl," he said with a wink.

"You just be careful. Be fucking careful..."

Bill gave her another reassuring kiss to the top of her beautiful red head.

"Alright, Tara," he began, fighting the urge to take her in his arms and just keep her there. He knew that if he touched her he would not make it through the door.

"I know. Be careful. I love you."

"And I love you."

"Watch your back with the Viking, you hear me?"

Bill laughed. "He is alright, Tara. I would never take this journey with him if I didn't trust him," he reassured her.

"Yeah, if you say so." Their gaze upon each other said silently all of the things they refrained from saying out loud. He nodded his goodbye to her and then was gone.

The sun was on the rise, in twenty minutes or so they would both have to go to ground. Tara looked over at Jessica, who was crying silently.

"It's going to be alright," She said as she hugged the girl to her bosom. "C'mon, let's call this day over. By the time we wake he'll have some news for us, if only to say he's there. C'mon."

The two women closed the door on the coming day and headed off to ground, linked arm in arm and bound by worry and love for their Maker.

* * *

><p>Tara sleeps fitfully that morning. She wakes with a start to find Franklin in the sparsely but elegantly appointed cubby with her, sitting on the red velvet Queen Anne sofa that used to be Bill's, watching her intently. He sits with his arms outstretched along the back of the couch, legs crossed, as if he is the lord of the manor.<p>

"Well, the Queen arises," he smirks at her when she wakes and sits up on her platform bed, his voice full of contempt.

"Franklin?" Tara is shocked to see him but feels no fear.

He inhales deeply and casts his eyes downward, looking suddenly like a little boy who has been caught in a misdeed by his parent and scolded and aware that punishment is coming; his lips tremble as he tries desperately not to cry, which he does at last, in great anguish, the blood tears flowing unchecked.

"Still bat-shit crazy, I see," Tara says matter-of-factly and with absolutely no sympathy for him at all. He looks up at her then, insult registering through his tears.

"Not as bat-shit crazy as this! Him? _Him_ over _me_? I loved you, Tara!" he roars at her and stands up from the couch, full of rage and immeasurable hurt. "I loved you! I would have given you the world! What a hypocrite you are..."

"You took advantage of me, Franklin," she corrects him angrily, her voice low and steady, off of the platform bed now and standing on her feet; she looks into his eyes, her own filled with venom,.

"That first night you wanted me, Tara—do NOT stand here and tell me otherwise," he snarls at her.

"I did. For all the wrong reasons. But you used me Franklin; I was a job, an assignment—you used me to get to Sookie to get to Bill; you glamoured me; you held me hostage—you raped me—repeatedly. You call that 'love'?"

"I am sorry about that," he says, as if he'd done nothing more than impolitely stepped on her foot or some such other trivial infraction.

"I don't believe you," she is consternated beyond words now and shakes her head, laughing in spite of his madness.

"And I don't believe you," he counters, wiping the tears from his eyes, at last. "Tara, the vampiress, Consort to the King of Louisiana," he sniffs at her in a huff. He circles her menacingly, drinking her in lustfully even through his scorn. He steps up behind her, unable to contain his desire any longer and hugs her to him, losing himself in the feel of her body in his arms.

"Franklin, get your hands off of me," she warns him.

"Oh, what are you going to do, my love? Stake me again?" he asks mockingly, an insane pout on his handsome face. "I'm already dead, love, or hadn't you noticed? I suppose you haven't; you never paid attention to me before, never understood me, never understood the depth of my love for you, at all, really. I do believe I that _will_ haunt you forever," he says as if the idea has just come to him. "Yes, that would suit me just fine," he says seductively into hear ear, daring to caress her now as if he had every right.

"I wish _someone_ had understood you, Franklin," Tara says sincerely. She turns to face him, and kisses him upon his eager lips.

"Oh, my Tara, I knew that you loved me, and mourned me as I have mourned you, mourned _us_, all of this time..."

Tara stepped back from him then, a sad smile on her face. "Frankin Mott, tempus hic dimittunt omnia bene..."

"Tara? No!" he screamed, feeling himself being ripped away from her and the very fabric of the last of his earthbound existence.

"Nihil enim vos modo sit isset I nunc vado transitur..." Tara continues, her eyes closed as she concentrates fully on the spell.

"My Tara, I will love you forever," he says finally, accepting that he must leave her and the world behind. "Thank you, my love," he bows his head under the realization of what she is doing for him. He looks up again at her and nods his farewell.

"Totus tuus, vade, et benedictionem meam valere. Valete." Tara completes the incantation and sees that Franklin is gone.

* * *

><p>Tara woke up that evening and found that she had been sobbing in her sleep, evidenced first by the bloody tear stains on her pillow and confirmed by the dried blood crusted on her face. Franklin had been there, she knew it in her soul; he had been there and would have haunted her forever. She had mourned him, truly, and every unfortunate thing that must have ever happened to him that had turned him into the psychotic vampire he had been. Somehow she had found enough love in her heart for the crazy bastard to set him free, glad that she had at least been able to send him away with that knowledge and hoping that he would finally rest in peace.<p> 


	16. It's All In The Details

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 16 It's All In The Details

Eric had an urgent matter of his own to attend to that night after the meeting. After he'd updated Chow on the events that had taken place in the year and half that he had been away they got down to the business of Fangtasia. As was customary when Eric felt that his current adventures or undertakings could end with his demise, he called in his Lawyer to finalize the intricate legal complexities related to his property and holdings. This time he would leave everything to both Ginger and Chow, to be split 50-50. After all the appropriate papers were signed and the lawyer dismissed, the conversation between Eric and Chow turns towards the personal.

"So, Chow, how did things go in China? Did you accomplish what you set out to do?"

"Yes," he said simply through a broad smile.

"That's my boy," Eric said as he patted him on the back conspiratorially.

Ginger had no clue what they were talking about and dared not interject herself into their conversation. Eric noted her discomfort.

"Chow, our girl here has not fully realized the concept that is she one of us and an equal in all things..."

"I just don't feel the need to pry into your personal—"

"May I, Chow?"

"Certainly."

"Chow took a leave of absence to reconnect with the woman he sacrificed his human life for, a woman that he loved dearly. She spurned him and his sacrifice when he was turned vampire. He's been in China all this time, bedeviling her and, well, exacting his revenge. I suggest you listen to his tale while I'm gone—you could learn a great deal from it, I think."

"I would be honored to tell you about it, Ginger," Chow offered, greatly impressed at the vampire she had become, in stark contrast to the pitiful human minion she had been before.

"I will leave you both now—I have some business to attend to downstairs..."

This Ginger did know about; she had been sent to track Yvetta down in California and had found her dancing in a seedy little dive in the San Fernando valley. She was chained up in the dungeon awaiting her fate.

"Good night and I hope to see you both again soon."

"You'll be back, Eric, just be careful. I wish we could go with you," said Chow worriedly as Ginger nodded in agreement.

"You'll both be more help to me here and I'm not just talking about business. I'll be in touch tomorrow evening, as soon as I rise," he said as he took each one of them by the shoulder and gave a reassuring pat to them both. "Uh, I'll be leaving a bit of a mess in the dungeon..."

"It will be taken care of," Ginger smiled at him. Eric nodded his thanks and laughed softly to himself as he left them.

* * *

><p>Yvetta heard the dungeon door open, prompting a stream of curses to erupt from her lips in Russian.<p>

"Good," Eric smiled his most dazzling smile at her as walked slowly down the steps, "I'm going to Belarus in the morning...I needed to bone up on my Russian, as a matter of fact," he laughed at her now, as he stood before her taking off his clothes. "But first I think I'll bone up on you."

He had her chained up in his favorite apparatus, her hands and feet shackled, suspended just a few feet off the ground, her beautiful tall, lean body naked, her legs spread apart widely enough for easy entry from in front or behind her.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you, whore?"

"Fuck you, vampire," she spat at him.

"'Fuck you vampire'? Yvetta, you disappoint me," he said as he fondled a breast, then pinched the nipple just enough to make her gasp and rattle the chains noisily as she tried to squirm away from his cold touch.

"I hate you, Eric Northman. I curse the day I ever laid eyes on you!" she screamed out in a rage.

"Of course you hate me." he said seductively as he moved behind her, holding her neck with one strong hand, his other exploring the slick, warm mound of flesh between her legs that she was ashamed to admit was aroused and wet, and direct in conflict with her head and heart. "But you love this..."

In futility she tried again to evade his touch, the rattling chains only serving to arouse him more.

"You should really stop that," he spoke softly into her neck, "it really does only make me harder."

Yvetta was crying now, knowing that this was her last night on earth.

"I hope that wherever you are going you never come back—I hope you die, Eric Northman."

"I know," he said in a soothing voice, as if he were coddling a fussy baby. "That's why you're here tonight. I thought I might savor killing you when I came back, but as you've so aptly mentioned I might not be back. Too bad you'll never know. And I could never go to my final resting place without having had this moment with you, Yvetta, darling," he said as he entered her at last. "You stupid greedy whore," he said as he pounded into her, thrusting with the insane vampiric warp speed that once she had actually enjoyed and lived to tell about. "That could have been you up there, instead of Ginger, but you BETRAYED ME!" he roared, his voice full of blood and rage.

Upstairs, in mid conversation with Chow, Ginger felt his rage and jumped just ever so slightly.

Yvetta cried out then, in pleasure and pain wanting him only to end it. When Eric heard her gut-wrenching sobs he stopped his vicious onslaught, and slowed his strokes until they were tender, almost forgiving.

"There now, is that better, beautiful girl?" he asked her before he planted a hungry kiss on her mouth. "You do feel so good..." he murmured into her sweet neck, the scent of the blood under her skin tantalizing him, calling to him. "Should I forgive you, Yvetta? Shall I give you a chance to redeem yourself?"

Had she ever heard him speak in a voice so sweet, so caring? So full of...love? His voice alone was working a magic on her that rivaled even what he was doing to her with his body. "Yes, Eric," she gasped, her body totally not under her own control and going slack under his now tender ministration of her. "I'm sorry..." she moaned her apology to him; but even as her body exploded in orgasmic release she felt the hot stab of his fangs in her neck and her life draining away.

Eric disengaged from her then, body and fang, and looked upon her lifeless form one last time.

"I think not."


	17. Green

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Ch 17 Green

Sookie sat across from her brother on his couch, apparently mad at the world.

"Sookie, how long are you gonna sit there breathing fire before you tell me what's the matter with you?"

Sookie looked around the living room in disgust. "Jason Stackhouse, mama and daddy would just roll over if they could see what a pig sty this place is...don't you ever clean up?"

"Sookie, you did not just barge over here at one in the morning to complain about my housekeepin' skills—"

"What housekeeping skills?"

Jason shot her a look of pure exasperation. "Sookie, What. The fuck. Is wrong?"

"I don't even know where to begin..."

"Just start at the beginnin'."

"Tara is a vampire, now. And not just any vampire, she's _Bill's_ vampire," Sookie managed at last, shock still registering on her face.

"You still having those crazy vampire blood-induced sex-mares or something? Cuz, thank God, Jessica's blood finally wore off and I don't suffer those fuckers anymore..."

"Jason, get back in the boat..." she scolded him. "I am not having blood dream, but I wish that I was. I was just at Bill's not twenty minutes ago—he is not only Tara's Maker, but she's his... his lover and Consort."

"Wait just a minute, Sook, Tara has hated Bill ever since she first laid eyes on him. I just don't believe it."

"Well, wait until you see her for yourself. Or you can confirm it with Lafayette the next time you see him, whichever comes first."

"When the fuck did all of this happen?"

"I don't know exactly, but Lafayette's been keepin' me out of his head for a few weeks now, ever since I started back working..."

"I just can't believe that," Jason began incredulously. He looked over to his kitchen where his sister was now slamming dirty dishes around preparing to wash them. He went over to her.

"Sook, stop...Sookie?" Jason turned her around from the sink to face him.

"I'm just mad that none of them—not Bill or Tara or Jessica or Lafayette—had the good grace to tell me about it. I mean Tara's been avoiding me since the witch war—the witch war! And now all of a sudden she and Bill are in love and he turned her? She _let_ him turn her? And she's the fucking vampire Queen of Louisiana?"

"Consort, you said consort..." Jason said, confused.

"Consort, Queen—what difference does it make? He let her in to his life on the most intimate level possible..."

"But Sookie, you never wanted that from him, to be a vampire, I mean" Jason began gently.

"Of course I didn't," she shot back angrily.

"It's understandable how you must feel right now—he was the first real love of your life and he loved you, right back."

"But not enough. And never as an equal. It was never going to work out between us and I know that in my heart."

"So what's the problem, then? Sook? Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm alright," she screeched at him. "Don't I look alright?"

"No, you don't, little sister...you look kinda jealous..." he said softly.

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you kinda are," he brought it to her apologetically.

Sookie's tears finally erupted as she gave herself over to her brother's waiting embrace. She cried for all the things she had lost so profoundly in her young life: her innocence; Bill's love; Eric's love and favor; and now her best friend who had always been more like a sister to her. And now Tara was bonded to _them_, sharing commonalities and concerns that Sookie would forever be standing on the outside of and looking in on, just another inconsequential human, nothing special at all, her half-fairy ass be damned.


	18. A Visit To Merlotte's

I don't own True Blood, Charlaine Harris' "_Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) Series_" or Jace Everette's "_Bad Things_".

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 18 A Visit To Merlotte's

_When they walked in the air went out..._

Three women: a brunette, a blonde and a redhead, entered Merlotte's. Each one's cool, confident measured steps in sync with each other's, caught the attention of every patron in the establishment as soon as they strode through the door; each one was a devastating beauty in her own right; each one was fabulously undead.

Sitting at his favorite booth with yet another new lady, Hoyt Fortenberry looked up, saw the red-headed heart breaker in the trio and quietly set down his beer bottle. Damn her vamp ass, The Monster looked fine as all hell. Her hair was a mass of full spiraled curls, tousled and looking like she had just been wakened by a lover from the sleep that comes after a vigorous session of lovemaking. But of course she'd just awakened, the sun had only gone down less than an hour before. She looked both angelic, with the halo of curls about her head, and deadly, in her short black chiffon dress. The effect was disconcerting to him; the soft chiffon mini skirt swaying genteelly in in the cool evening air was at odds with the bordello-inspired naughtiness of the bustier that hugged her bosom like he wished deep down he still could. No matter what Hoyt said out loud, the whole town knew he was still carrying a torch for that girl; his date included, who became instantly annoyed when she turned around and saw who the hell Hoyt was staring at.

Hoyt didn't recognize the blond vampire, but the next pant-shitting moment came when he finally broke his gaze away from Jessica to realize that Tara Thornton, striding beside her elegantly, was now a vampire, too! He rose violently from the table, knocking over his beer and causing a general ruckus that alerted Lafayette, who was lost in concentration over a pot of his famous gumbo, and Jason, who was shooting a round of pool.

Jason. His good buddy. They had survived the fallout in behind Jessica. When Hoyt had found out about the two of them it had been the twist of a knife in his already broken heart. When he had finally confronted Jason, Jason had taken his beating like a man and then both men had broken down in tears afterwards. Hoyt knew in his heart that Jason would never have touched Jessica had her blood not been running through his veins. But Jason had taken full responsibility for his actions and it made Hoyt love the little son-of-a-bitch all the more. But he blamed Jessica completely. She had let her dissatisfaction with her role in their relationship become a catalyst for acting on any impulse she dared to harbor; as far as Hoyt was concerned she'd preyed on Jason's vulnerabilities as surely as the predator she was, and he had to hate her for that on general principle even though his heart still ached for her. What he didn't know, and what she had not been able to effectively understand or explain herself at the time was that it was far from just other men she craved.

Jason recognized Ginger from Fangtasia; he hadn't seen Jessica in months; the sight of Tara threw him for a minute. Sookie had come to him earlier in the week, distraught and undone, and told him about Tara, and he had known that this moment would inevitably come. He had not burdened Lafayette with any questions. And when he looked over at his old friend it confirmed that he had been right not to. Lafayette was surveying the room from the kitchen for any hint of a sign of trouble; and as he looked at his cousin and the red-haired vampire by her side Jason could see that he was looking out for his family.

She looked like the same old Tara: the same unassuming yet strong demeanor; that same kick-ass attitude; she seemed as down to earth as ever in her jeans, tank top and tennis shoes. But her skin had a strange golden glow to it, lighter but not pale—she didn't look as dead as other vampires.

Tara waved at Lafayette who winked back at her. She walked over to Jason at the pool table.

"Hi Jason," she said simply, smiling nervously at him.

"You? Nervous? No way..." Jason beamed at her as he brought her into a warm bear hug.

"Thank you for that," she said, happy and relieved.

"You're my other sister, Tara; always have been, always will be. Now, that's that, ya hear?"

Tara nodded. "You know Ginger, don't you?"

"Hi Jason, I remember you," Ginger smiled at him.

"Yeah, I remember you."

"Hello, Jason," said Jessica boldly.

"Jess," he smiled at her. Jason felt no awkwardness, he felt no animosity towards Jessica at all; he was just glad that the worst was behind the three of them and that it hadn't cost him his best friend.

Over at his booth Hoyt was still standing, taking it all in, fists clenched.

"Sit down, Hoyt," his date hissed at him, "you're making an obstacle of yourself..." Hoyt looked down at her then, realizing what a dumb bitch she was; one of dozens of dumb bitches he had resorted to satisfying his baser instincts with over the past five months since he'd broken up with Jessica.

"You know what? It's time to go."

"But we haven't even eaten yet!" the woman protested.

"Well then, you stay and eat," he said as he reached into his wallet and then slapped some money down on the table, "I'm outta here. Don't call me—I never want to see you again, got that? Good."

He left her at the table then, as she sat miffed and embarrassed, and headed directly over to Jessica and Tara.

"I don't even believe you," he started in, angrily, on Tara first.

"Hoyt, don't do this," warned Jason, who had seen that Lafayette had thrown down his soup ladle and was heading over to them out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm good, Jason, I can protect myself. Is there a problem, Hoyt? Because I can assure you that whatever it is? You can deal with it however you need to—but you _wil_l get the hell up outta my face and take it somewhere else. Right now."

Hoyt was confused. She sounded like the same old Tara; there was no vampire menace in her voice, just plain old Tara menace; he dared to look at Jessica, who, strangely, was looking down at the floor and avoiding his gaze. He'd expected her to be looking at him smugly or with cold indifference—or something. The only one who was giving him a look like she needed any excuse to take him in a back room and get real with him was the vampire named Ginger. The whole thing was surreal and mind-bending.

"Fuckedupness," he muttered disgustedly as he stormed out.

"He'll be alright," said Tara to them all. "Just give him some time," this she said to Jessica as she took her hand into her own reassuringly. "Lafayette, is Sookie here?"

"She should be here in about another fifteen minutes or so."

"How about Sam?"

"I'm here," came Sam's voice from the doorway leading from the kitchen. Holly was behind him and when she saw Tara her smile was immediate and heartfelt. She rushed over to her, serving trays in hand, completely forgetting about her customers, but as she drew closer and got a better look at her friend the shock registered on her face as her trays dropped, crashing loudly upon the floor.


	19. Collision

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 19 Collision

"Tara?" Holly managed after what had seemed an eternity as she stood before Tara wide-eyed, a total look of horror on her face. "After all we went through together?" she began, coming out of her initial shock and back to herself, and sounding as one who has been magnificently betrayed.

"C'mon, Holly, after all we went through together you and I both know that vampires aren't always the bad guys," Tara came back at her unflinchingly as they stared each other down.

Tara knew that many people would never believe the turn her life had taken, even after seeing her with their own eyes; and many more would never accept it. She had determined soon after her turning and especially after her visit with her aunt Ruby Jean, that she was not going to go through eternity wasting precious time and energy trying to explain herself, her choice or her relationship with Bill to those who really had no capacity to even try and understand. Ruby Jean's calming words were carrying her still through the difficult task of approaching those few people in Bon Temps whom she really could call her friends, even as she prepared herself for their rejection if it came to the worst. And if it did indeed come to the worst with some of those closest to her she hoped that at least they would respectfully agree to disagree about the course her existence had taken without judgment or prejudice.

It was love that had brought Lafayette around from his initial distrust, fear and anger over her turning; it was love that caused Jason to wrap her in his arms and let her know that he was still in her corner; it was love that held Tara fast when Lettie Mae tried to cast her out of her house and her life; it was love that that poured out of Ruby Jean as she embraced her that night and assured Tara that what she had been given was a gift. Four down, two to go. Holly was not one of those two.

"You say that now, Tara. You stood beside me not too very long ago and shot vampires down like so much road kill. Or have you forgotten?" Holly said through narrowed eyes and teeth clenched tight. She cut her eyes at the other two vampires to see their response to her words but only saw that they had closed ranks around Tara, as had Jason and Lafayette.

"Yes, I did stand beside you and kill vampires, and I was wrong to have done it. It was _inhuman_ of me. It was inhuman of Marnie and of all of us who followed her. But I guarantee you that there's more humanity in me now as a dead bitch than there ever was as a living one. You're entitled to feel what ever you want, but I advise that you back the fuck off."

"Or what? Where is all this humanity you claim you possess now? Your two friends here look like all you have to do is say the word and they'd rip me to shreds," Holly countered with a snarl.

"No one here has threatened you, Holly," said Jessica smiling sweetly as she distended her fangs.

"Well, what the hell is that, then?"

"It's dinner time, dear," Ginger said to her now, just as sweetly, she too distending her fangs, "and it would be nice if someone in this fine establishment would take our order for a couple of Tru Bloods."

"Okay, ladies," said Sam as he approached them all, "we've given the folks here enough of a show for one night..." Sam motioned to a busboy to come clean up the mess on the floor. "Holly, you go on over to your nice customers and ask them to please wait while their order is prepared, apologize for the inconvenience and let them know that their meal and a complimentary take out order for everybody in their party is on the house. Go on, now..." he ordered her sternly. Next he motioned to the hostess. "Ginnie, please seat our guests here. Thank you." Sam nodded to Jessica and Ginger, a warning in his eyes.

"We're not here to cause trouble, Sam—we're here on official business. Tara's been trying to call Sookie all week—if she'd answered any of her messages we wouldn't even be here right now."

"Fine, Jess. I'm gonna hold you to your word—no trouble."

"No trouble."

"It's good to see you, by the way," he said with a smile and a nod of his head. Jessica responded with a kiss to his cheek and then went to go join Ginger.

"Well, I guess that shit is that," said Lafayette as he headed back to the kitchen.

Sam turned to Tara then. His eyes locked onto hers and he found it impossible to break his gaze.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna, uh, go back over here and, uh, finish my game," Jason said as he scratched his head awkwardly and then finally left the pair.

"C'mon," Sam said finally, "we need to talk."

* * *

><p>Tara was expecting Sam to take her to his office but he led her instead to his trailer. Once inside he grabbed a bottle of tequila from his cupboard and took a swig straight from the bottle as he headed to his couch to sit down.<p>

"Sam..."

"Have a seat," he said as he patted the cushion next to him. Tara sat down beside him.

"So, this is why I haven't seen you in forever," he looked at her then, his hair all scruffy and tousled and hanging in his sleepy blue bedroom eyes, just the hint of a buzz starting to take him over.

"Yep."

"So, who's your Maker? Anybody I know?" Sam was really hoping it was someone he didn't know.

"Bill. Compton."

He looked away from her then, sank back into the couch and took another swig, a long one, from the tequila bottle.

"Sam..."

His name coming in that hushed whisper from her mouth felt like a sweet caress upon his skin, and was more intoxicating than the liquor he was drinking could ever be.

"You know, I told myself a long time ago to stop sayin' shit like 'I've seen everything'; I mean, once in my life I really thought I had seen everything, but life always has a way of kicking your ass with new shit you've never seen before..."

"Is it that bad?"

"Hell yeah, it's that bad. You know, when you sent your girlfriend away I knew you did it to keep her safe. But when you stayed, I kinda thought, maybe, you were staying for me."

"But you're seeing Luna..."

"_Was_ seeing Luna. We broke up a while back. I'll tell you all about that some other time."

"But you were seeing her then, hot and heavy—I didn't think you were thinking about me at all."

"Would it have made a difference if you'd known that I was?"

"Were you?"

"Answer my question."

"Yes, it would have made a difference and you know it."

"I mean, I know we've been through other people since we had each other. But there's always been a special place for you in my heart, Tara. You know when I knew that I loved you?"

_Loved me?_ Tara could not believe her ears. She knew he was telling the truth because he was more than just a little intoxicated and in that relaxed twilight space where brute frankness overtakes measured propriety just as surely as the liquor coursing through his body was overtaking his inhibitions.

"Remember that night when I blew the hell up at everybody in the bar and kicked them all the hell out—and you too?"

"That night you fired Tommy..."

"Yeah. That's when I knew. I told you to go and you just said no—I loved you for not being intimidated, for not backing down—for staying with me—for telling me I had you. Then you said..."

"Let's fuck..."

"But I never fucked you, Tara...no matter what you thought I always made love to you."

"Yeah, maybe, but a lot of those times you fucked me...good," Tara smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm not joking, Tara. For as long as I've known you and through everything and everybody you've been a constant in my life."

"You mean like Old Faithful?"

"No, I mean like I should have put myself out of my misery a long time ago and taken you for my own—I should have never let you get away from me. Do you love him?"

"Yes, I do," she said simply.

Sam got up off of the couch then, on unsteady legs and in great anguish.

"You know, I don't even want to know how it happened. And I'm not gonna stand here and tell you I'm happy for you, because I'm not. I'm not happy for you and I'm damn sure not happy for me. I am gonna love you forever, Tara Thornton, no matter what and no matter who—and I don't know how I'm going to live with that. I don't know if I'll ever understand why you did this."

Tara rose to go to him.

"No, don't touch me, because if you do I'll do something I won't regret." Sam backed away from her.

Tara's anger was ignited by his last words. "You think you can hurt me, Sam?"

"You got it all wrong, Tara...hurting you is not what I want to do."

Sam dared to give in to his desire and go to her. Standing before her he reached out and touched her cheek; so cold it was, but he didn't care. He took her beautiful face in his hands and brought hers closer to his own; he looked deeply into her eyes wishing he could be a vampire just long enough to glamour Bill out of her mind and her heart. Tara found that she was unable to resist his touch and the kiss he was about to inflict upon her.

Just then there was a knock on Sam's trailer door that jolted them both out of their reverie and collision course with each other.

"I hate to interrupt you, Tara, but Bill is on the phone for you," came Jessica's urgent voice from the other side of the door.

"God help me, Tara," Sam said as he gently wiped away the single blood tear that had cascaded down her cheek, "this isn't over." And then, reluctantly, he released her.


	20. Daybreak In Minsk

_Okay, first off, it amazes me that people all around the world have read my story at all—thank you, readers! And I really must thank all who have reviewed my story and give shouts out to** box5angel**, **piper1715**, **persnikitty5**, and **jordanjanellejoy **and direct readers to the wonderful works of **Isis Aurora Tomoe**, **FatJan**, **Blackpen Enaru**, and **Whatever-life 24**—people, please pick a story, any story by all of these fantastic writers and I promise you will not be disappointed. Thank you all for reviewing and introducing me to your favorites, as well! Your interest and encouragement keeps me going. And to all of the other great True Blood fanfic writers—all of you need jobs on the show to replace the writers, who I feel have squandered great source material and turned the show into a bit of a train wreck. I used to look forward to Sunday nights, but now I can't wait to get here and read stories that are 100% better than the show::end of rant::_

_Anyway, this site is a joy and my only regret is that I don't have all the time I'd like to read as well as write. That said, I hope the rest of my story will be worthy of you taking the time to read._

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 20 Daybreak in Minsk

It was a fourteen hour flight from Shreveport to Minsk International Airport. Bill and Eric's silver high-tech coffins were unloaded from their private modified Boeing 757 Anubis Air jet under heavy guard and transferred to two separate sleek black custom Anubis vans. It had been decided earlier on that, although they would land with time to spare before sunrise, it would be the safest course to get them to the appointed World Vampire Federation's secret lair located in the Kalvaryja cemetery.

All of the accommodations for their stay in Minsk had been orchestrated by Andrej Kuznetsov, a thousand year-old vampire and the WVF European Alliance international liaison. He stood now by the lead limousine in the nine car motorcade that consisted of the two vans for Bill and Eric; his own car; three vans for Bill and Eric's security team and three vans for the WVF security team. Within moments of landing the motorcade was on its way as it cut through the waning Belarusian night on the forty minute ride to Minsk proper.

Long before Bill had been approached by Nan Flanagan in London and before the American Vampire League had begun its active campaign to bring vampires out of the coffin, the World Vampire Federation had set up secret locations all throughout Europe. It had been a popular custom to install these locations in underground lairs of churches and cemeteries typically because such infrastructure existed already and was easy to modify but even more so because of the irony of it all-European vampires simply had more of a sense of humor than American vampires in such matters.

Kalvaryja was the oldest surviving cemetery in the city and one such location. The Catholic chapel was still used for worship, but new burials had ceased in the 1960's. It was at that time that the WVF set up shop there.

The motorcade arrived at four-thirty am and the guards promptly whisked their charges to the underground sanctum beneath the chapel. There was just enough time for introductions and a quick de-briefing before time to go to ground again.

As Eric and Bill sat in a conference room across the table from their hosts, Eric was struck by the beauty of Andrej Kuznetsov who looked more like an overgrown fifteen year old choir boy than a Belarusian delegate of the WVF. He had long dark curly hair and a peach fuzz hint of a goatee; he reminded Eric of what Ben Stiller would have looked like as six-foot teenaged boy coming into his own with a better proportioned frame and slightly softer features; his eyes were liquid pools of jadeite that Eric would have greatly enjoyed drowning himself in while he held him close in his strong embrace. The handsome vampire became aware of Eric's gaze upon him and returned it with a look of recognition and invitation.

"So gentlemen, that's all we have for now, but we believe they are good leads," concluded Yuriya Kosciuszko, the Magister of their territory.

Eric pretended to focus on the last words that were being uttered, but he had really heard not one thing. "Fill me in when they leave," he muttered to Bill under his breath. Bill looked at him then, nonplussed at Eric's libido, which absolutely knew no bounds.

"You will find it easy to conduct your interviews with our citizens here," continued Andrej, "almost all of our young people speak English, and where Sarah was seen was in places frequented specifically by those in the 19-24 age group."

"And Steve Newlin has not once been seen with her?" Bill asked.

"Not once in her five visits here over the past year and a half."

"Thank you, Andrej, Magister..." Bill said as they all rose from the table.

"Well, gentlemen, we shall leave you to talk amongst yourselves," said Andrej looking directly at Eric. He had known that Eric had paid no attention to anything other than him during the meeting. "We're sure that you will find your accommodations more than satisfactory and we shall see you this evening." With a bow to them both Andrej left them, the Magister close on his heels.

Eric smirked as he thought about how enjoyable this trip was going to be, after all.

"You are beyond belief, Eric," Bill fumed when the door closed on them.

"Lighten up, Bill. What did I miss?" Eric asked as he stood before Bill, looking down at him, his arms folded across the expanse of his broad chest.

"There is and abandoned refrigerator warehouse that Sarah has been to on every visit here, and a club in the heart of Minsk. The proprietress is another thousand year-old vampire, goes only by the name of Sashen'ka. We will see her tonight." Bill looked away from him then, with a snort of disgust.

"This gets better and better," Eric said, his voice husky and low, referring more to Bill's discomfort than anything else and taking perverse pleasure in it.

Bill turned back to face him, a sneer on his face. "Save it for someone who gives a fuck, Eric."

"Ooh, I love it when you're angry," Eric growled as he leaned in just a bit closer to Bill.

"You are impossible!" Bill hissed at him and left him to go to ground.

"No, Bill, I'm quite possible—all you have to do is say the word," Eric called after him, his fangs caressing his lips as he laughed softly to himself.


	21. Cool Zone

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 21 Cool Zone

Saturday Nite. New Orleans.

It was a beautiful spring evening in New Orleans. The vampire Blackburn sat in the bar in a booth alone, "nursing" a gin and tonic, waiting. It was 7:30 pm and already most of the tables were packed; tourists and locals were crammed on the small dance floor dancing and whooping it up as the lively zydeco band on stage fed their need to party. Blackburn had no feeling for these silly humans, or the music that that was filling the cozy establishment and spilling out into the street. Soon, the two blood bags that had sat near Cromwell and Sewell's abductors would make their appearance and take their regular seats at a table in the middle of the bar.

He had arrived in New Orleans the same night of the meeting and found the two women at their post, on the hunt for men buying drinks and paying attention. He thought of Jessica, suddenly, the fascinating little red-headed baby vampire and King Bill's progeny. Now there was a woman who would never have to resort to being such a blatant attention whore.

He hadn't the time he'd have liked to talk to her after Nan Flanagan's departure, but there was no way he was going to leave Fangtasia without taking the opportunity to do so. She was a curious mix, that one: she looked almost virginal and human, standing in a corner unassumingly in a demure pink tank top, tight jeans and flat sandals, her skin obviously flush from a fresh kill, when all vampires could pass more easily for human. He had been drawn to everything about her, from her long burnished locks to the wicked little upturn at the corner of her mouth as she smiled at him when she thought he was not looking. The silhouette of her body begged for him to reach out and touch her as his eyes drank in the curve of her bare shoulders, her arms, the swell of her thighs in the dark blue jeans that fit her like a second skin, before his gaze traveled down the rest of her long beautiful legs. _Yes, I must know that one_, he had thought to himself as he caught her gaze finally and smiled a wicked smile at her. They'd made plans to hunt together upon his return to Shreveport and he was anxious to be done with the assignment at hand.

The assignment at hand. He did not need a week to scope these two sorry specimens out. They were two typical human twenty-something females: young, free and under the impression that their fleeting beauty required them to do little more than sit and bat their eyelashes while they sat about in public in various states of undress, unable to think much past the next free drink or the next hard cock between their legs. He truly missed the days when whores looked like whores and not like every other woman walking down the street and vice versa. As if on cue the two women entered the bar. He rose from the booth and signaled a waitress to accompany him to their table.

"Ladies, don't you look lovely this evening?" Both women ate up the handsome vampire with their eyes immediately.

"Thank you," said the one with the blue dye in her black hair and wearing a black dress that looked more like a t-shirt that had been run through a commercial meat grinder—she was Taryn Polk.

"May I buy you both a drink?" he smiled at one and then the other.

"Yes, you may," said the voluptuous brunette sitting across from her friend, who had on an ultra short pleated denim skirt and a white plunging cowl neck halter that was hanging on only by the grace of her small erect nipples, waiting for even a hint of a breeze to set its charges free. "I'll have an apple martini and she'll have a banana daiquiri." Blackburn nodded to the waitress and paid her two with two twenties immediately. The happy waitress dashed off thinking he was just another stupid horny tourist.

"Sit down...what's your name?" asked Sylvia James.

"Blackburn," he said simply as he joined them.

"That's an odd first name, but kinda sexy. Blackburn what?"

"Now, ladies, are last name really required?" he asked with a with a devastatingly knowing smile.

"Well, I guess not. I'm Sylvia," the girl said as she stuck out her hand to shake his, which he took and held as he reached for that of the other young lady.

"I'm Taryn," she said as she took his other hand. Blackburn took them each and kissed them.

"Oh my God, you really aren't from around here, are you?" Taryn blushed. Blackburn could smell the aroma of her blood as it rushed to her cheeks.

Just then the waitress returned with their drinks. She knew the two girls and felt sorry for them as they ate up the smarmy stranger's act. Power to him if they fell for his shit, she thought to herself with a nod of her head as she left them.

"So, Taryn, Sylvia," he began after each of them had taken a sip of their drinks, "I'm on my way to a private party—here in the Quarter...would you both honor me with the pleasure of your company?"

Both women looked knowingly at each other.

"Uh, we know a little something about 'private' parties in the Quarter, Blackburn. How about we just stay here and get our party on?" suggested Taryn with a sly smile.

"Yeah, we're kind of waiting for the next band that's going to play tonight," said Sylvia, almost apologetically. So, Sylvia was the stupid one, he realized. Blackburn took Taryn's hand again in his own and leaned closer across the table towards her and looked her dead in her eyes.

"Taryn, you want to go with me, now," he commanded her as he spoke softly to her.

"I want to go with you, now, Blackburn," she agreed easily.

"Really? Great!" squealed the other girl with delight. Blackburn then took her hand and forced his gaze intently upon her.

""Yes, really, Sylvia. You will both get up now and go with me to my car."

"C'mon, Taryn, let's go," she said, in the trance that she was in, as the three of them rose and walked out into the cool night.

* * *

><p>"Again!" he commanded the sultry brunette as he circled her in her chair. "What did the man say about the park?"<p>

"Something about 'it was a shame'...he kept saying it was shame..."

"What was the name of the park? Think, damn you!" he yelled at her.

They'd been at it for three hours already, locked away in a barren cargo hold inside a ship off of Algiers Point.

"I don't know," whimpered Sylvia now, exhausted from the rigorous questioning, her fear rising as the effect of the glamouring was beginning to wear off some.

"Six Flags," said Taryn calmly, sitting beside her. "He said it was a shame about Six Flags New Orleans. The park was destroyed by the storm and has not been restored. It's a scary, abandoned ghost town now."

"When did the man make this comment? Right before the left the bar? Early in conversation? When!" Blackburn demanded.

"Right before they left the bar."

Finally, something. Blackburn let out a sigh of relief. He would have time before sunrise to go with the guards and check the place out.

He grabbed Taryn by the throat with the strength of one hand, lifting her, gasping for air and kicking her feet wildly.

"Under other circumstances I would fuck you both mercilessly first, but unfortunately I don't have that kind of time now..." he hissed into her ear. "Too bad for me...what a pretty little play thing you are..." he said as he tore into her neck, drained her and threw her to the floor when he was done. Blackburn licked his lips salaciously as he turned his attention now to the other. "Mmm, first course down..."

Sylvia, rooted in horror to her chair and in full control of her faculties, screamed as if all the hounds of hell had found her and had come to punish her for all of her sins.

"Oh, I really could have had some fun with you, my Sylvia..." he growled as he advanced upon her. He took her hand and raised her from the chair, then savagely ripped her joke of a blouse away from her full swollen breasts, heaving now as she hyperventilated with fear. "Yes, such a shame that I must content myself with you only as dinner..."

Blackburn cupped her huge, sweet creamy mounds in his hands and kissed each breast, dared to suckle at each tiny little sensitive nipple. Sylvia's fear rose to a whole other level as she tried in vain to pry him off of her, but it was as if she slapping at a hard immovable stone statue.

"Uh, uh, uh," he said only as he looked up at her, still clamped to a nipple; he cradled her in his strong embrace and then bit into her, drinking from her as a babe from its mother.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the abandoned park less than an hour later. To humans the place surely looked a fright, like a set designed in the deepest bowels of hell for a zombiepocalypse movie; graffiti scrawled all about and also in some of the most unlikely and inaccessible places; the silhouette of the rusted and dilapidated rides looking unwelcoming against the backdrop of the night sky. But this horrible place was real, and Blackburn, having no such feelings for the place, found the ruin rather charming.<p>

A contingent of guards were posted at the entrance of Main Street and others posted themselves strategically throughout the park as Blackburn set off to start a sweep of the place, using his preternatural speed to search through every accessible building, crack and crevice for what, he did not know. He found hoards of cockroaches in every rest room, their numbers so great that one would not have to be a vampire to hear them teaming about in dark corners and crawling in a frenzy in other areas of the mold and the muck; when he approached the fun house he waved up at the sinister Jester, who was truly now at home in his role as Host and Guide To Your Worst Fucking Nightmares. Blackburn laughed to himself. _Hello, friend,_ he greeted him silently as he raced by and in to the wreck of a building. Nothing. At least, nothing that jumped out at him. He laughed again to himself, crazily. Maybe this horrid place was having an effect on him, after all, he mused to himself.

There seemed be nothing out of the ordinary in the ruin—what had the two abductors been alluding to? The mention of the wretched place had to be a code for something...

Blackburn came upon a shell of a structure being completely taken over by nature, a dead roller coaster looming behind it destined never again to relive its glory days when the park was filled with happy patrons; never again would the happy shrieks and bloodcurdling screams of child and adult, tourist and local alike, fill the park; never again would this place spark the happy memories of visitors—old or new. Blackburn was acquainted with the concept of such a place and for a brief moment he could almost hear those happy shrieks of humans, the whoosh of the roller coasters, the clackety-clack of the wheels upon the track. But it was just his imagination. The place _was_ having an effect on him and the feeling was foreign and unwelcomed. He looked up at the frame of the concrete structure and upon it were the words 'Cool Zone'. Well, what the hell had that been? Impossible to tell, now. He was at the end of his search. He hadn't even known what he could have been looking for. He was about to speed away when he spied a rusty barrel almost completely overtaken by weeds. He went to it, dislodged it and pulled it out into the moonlight, where he might view it better with his own preternatural eye sight. It was most definitely a storage drum, and liquid was still contained in it. On a small patch of the unrusted tin he could barely make out the unmistakable print of a logo and Russian type beneath it.

Well, this was most definitely out of the ordinary. He picked up the drum easily and raced with it back to the waiting guards.

* * *

><p>Shreveport. Sunday at sunset.<p>

Blackburn sat at the table, waiting. Damn it, he was always waiting. On that particular evening he was at Fangtasia, waiting for Dr. Ludwig, along with Ginger and Chow, to conclude her initial analysis of the contents in the drum.

She was a crusty old human bitch, but Blackburn had always liked her. She feared nothing and especially not vampires. She had been working with them too long and had also simply seen too much life.

She had worked with the AVL for over sixty years and she was trusted implicitly. Amongst many other things Dr. Ludwig, was a top forensic pathologist. She had worked alongside people such as Thomas Noguchi, the Los Angeles coroner who had handled the case of Marilyn Monroe's 'probable suicide'. It was common knowledge within vampire circles that Monroe had been the pet of a psychotic Cuban vampire and had turned down his invitation to become his vampire bride; she was staging a come back to her career and wanted to live her life. The vampire killed her in a fit of rage. Because she was such a high-profile victim with major political connections and because he had brazenly jeopardized vampire protocols of the time, he was sentenced to the true death. The ensuing chaos around her murder was a result of the need thoroughly contain the details; it had been an extensive exercise in glamouring and manipulation of the media and the government as she was such a huge part of the collective consciousness. The many rumors that abounded regarding her death were propagated by the AVL to divert attention further away from the truth and Dr. Ludwig had been a major part of that effort.

She pulled away from her microscope at last.

"It's refrigerant—a mixture or all three classes and a compound I need more time to identify."

Blackburn was not going to be the first one to ask a question.

"Well, what could it possibly mean?" Chow asked exasperatedly.

"How the hell am I supposed to know, vampire?" she shot back at him irritatedly. "Look, cool your fucking jets. Give me forty-eight hours to try and isolate and identify this other compound and maybe—_maybe_—part of the puzzle will come together." Dr. Ludwig gathered her instruments and carefully packed up her samples. She left Fangtasia without a backwards glance, which was her way.

"Good work, Blackburn," said Chow, his brow creased with worry. "We haven't heard from Eric yet..." he looked to Ginger.

"No. It's 3 am Monday in Minsk now—if we don't hear from Eric or King Bill in the next couple of hours then we'll call them before they go to ground—agreed?"

"Agreed," Chow and Blackburn answered in unison.


	22. All She Wants To Do Is Dance

I don't own True Blood, Charlaine Harris' "_Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) Series_" or Sade's "Love Is Found".

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 22 All She Wants To Do Is Dance

Bill rose promptly at sunset the next evening, anxious to begin the investigation. Andrej said that they would be meeting Shashen'Ka at her club later that evening so he looked through the closet where the valet had pressed and hung his clothes. From what he understood it was a club that catered to the younger crowd so he chose a simple Henley shirt of dark blue and dark grey cargo pants. He chose his favorite Harley Davidson motorcycle riding boots that would be perfect when they investigated the old abandoned refrigerator warehouse later.

He looked himself over in the full-length standing floor mirror and noticed that his hair was a bit shaggy and longish, as it was every evening when he rose. However, he found that he liked it and decided not to trim it, for a change. He was tired of that routine, anyway. He was tired of everything of late and feeling rebellious—damn Nan and press conferences and playing the vampire politician. If he never wore another suit again it wouldn't be soon enough. He couldn't help but think of Tara then, and how she might appreciate his carefree tousled look—she tended to like her men a touch scraggly and wild. He wanted to call her, but wanted to have some news to report when he did so and decided to stick to his original plan to Skype her just before they went to ground. He almost couldn't wait to make contact with her, to see her face and now, to give her a preview of his new look. He smiled to himself as he stepped away from the mirror, left his well appointed cubby and headed to conference room to meet Andrej and Eric.

When he got there he found only Andrej and confirmed that he had been right to dress casually.

"Good evening, King Bill," Andrej greeted him warmly from his seat at the expansive conference table. "I trust you rested well?" Andrej took note of his more rugged appearance immediately and secretly approved it.

"I did, thank you."

"I should like to give you both some background on Shashen'Ka, but as Eric is not here yet I will wait."

"Yes, I'm surprised that he's not here already..." _fucking your brains out on the conference table_, Bill thought condescendingly to himself. "I apologize for him being late..." he began sincerely.

"Don't apologize for me, _My Liege_," said Eric as he appeared suddenly in the doorway, a sneer on his face and in his voice, looking dark and alluring in his tight black leather jacket, black wife-beater, black jeans and army boots. It was a look Bill was more than acquainted with, but not the baby-faced thousand year-old at the table, who was drinking in the Viking with unabashed appreciation. Bill ignored Eric's venomous stare and turned his attention back to Andrej.

At the table Andrej smiled to himself in great amusement at the pair of them. If ever there were two vampires who needed to just get a room and get it over with, these two were they. And how he would love to be there when it happened. Eric was a tall handsome Norse god, his sexuality an entity unto itself that took over a room as soon as he entered it. Bill's appeal was subtle, but devastating in its own right—he smouldered, his sexuality ranging between great restraint and wild, dark abandon. Andrej could sense that there was some power dynamic between them and not just the obvious one. Whatever it was, their passion and anger was making him hotter than a fifty pound silver chain around the collar and he was eating up every tormented moment of it.

"Uh, gentlemen," Andrej interrupted with a sweet knowing smile on his strikingly handsome face, "I have a brief history lesson to share with you both. Please join me?"

The two vampires took their seats across the table from Andrej and two chairs apart from each other.

"Wonderful. Shashen'Ka, as I told you before, is a thousand year-old vampire. She's been established here in Minsk for the past three hundred years, ever since she left St. Petersburg, where her Maker walked in to the sun and ended his existence. She was born in Cordoba, Spain, her father a Russian Jew fur trader, her mother, a Spaniard and direct descendant of the Untouchables."

"The 'Untouchables'?" Bill asked.

"Yes, they were a nomadic tribe of people within the Punjabi caste system, many of whom migrated to Spain and other parts of Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries. You would know them as what they commonly came to be called over time—Gypsies: artists, dancers, musicians, metal workers, animal traders and trainers and the like. Her mother was a flamenco dancer of some note and trained her daughter to dance. I tell you this because dance is all Shashen'Ka thinks about, really. She is not political at all, not regarding human or vampire affairs. She's been running her club here since 1966 and it has always been a hub for young people—she herself was turned at twenty-three; she has never been a Maker; never been part of a nest; has never had a human pet. She dances one show a night at her club, makes her money, pays her taxes and provides a safe environment for vampires to enjoy themselves and feed on all the willing victims they can handle.

"I believe she took her three meetings with Sarah Newlin innocently, unaware of her affiliation with the Fellowship of The Sun precisely because she does not keep up with such things and also because it is an American organization. I'm sure Sarah told her some lie about her intentions here and simply wanted to use Shashen'Ka as some sort of cover. I know that she will be happy to talk to you and cooperate fully.

"I also believe I gave you the wrong impression the other morning—Shashen'Ka is not affiliated with the refrigeration plant in any way, her only business here if Tabah Tosti."

"Tabah _Tosti_?" Eric asked, intrigued.

"Yes, Tabah was a pet name her Maker gave her; Tosti was the name of her Maker," Andrej smiled at him.

Eric had a childhood friend named Tosti who had grown up with him and been one of the warriors at his side that was felled by Godric all of those eons ago. The name brought with it a warm rush of memories.

"Well, gentlemen, we can go to the club now. Her show will start soon and then she will meet with you both."

The three vampires left Kalvaryja and headed to Tabah Tosti to see Shashen'Ka.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the club, which was huge and built like an airplane hangar the size of a football field and thumping with the sounds of techno-electronica music. High atop the rafters exotic dancers took pole dancing to a whole other level as they performed their routines on seventy-five foot-long ropes hanging from the ceiling. There were male and female strippers and dozens of small stage areas and cages; multiple bar and lounge sections; several billiard rooms, game rooms, and a huge Wii lounge; Bill and Eric's excellent preternatural vision easily scoped out the many hidden, seamless doors that led to the safe rooms, where patrons could be fed upon clandestinely.<p>

The décor was a mix of post-industrial, steam-punk and Moroccan chic—a miss mash that shouldn't work but somehow did. Eric was greatly impressed. The trio was led by a host to a VIP balcony box and within moments of taking their seats the music stopped abruptly, the lights went down and the whole place settled in to a jarring hush.

The center stage lit up then, and consisted of four fifty-foot tan marble pillars with red veins looking almost like living blood vessels and a fifty by fifty-foot movie screen behind them.

A male announcers voice came over the loud speaker: "Ladies and gentlemen—Shashen'Ka..."

The music began with a swell of violin strings as "Love Is Found" by Sade began to play. As the music swelled, sheer crimson drapes unfurled and extended down the length of the marble columns.

A video played on the large screen behind the columns. Shashen'ka is in the subway where everything in frame is moving at hyper speed except her and an Alessandro Nivola look-alike, who is watching her. She looks beautiful in a black leather under corset that is worn over a see-through brown collared long-sleeved blouse, jeans and high heels. A fedora graces her head, her long, thick wavy black hair cascading about her and blowing in slow motion as the subway trains roll by. You can see that she feels she is being watched, but she looks back to the train tracks. The man steps from behind a pillar on the platform where he's been watching her, and comes up behind her as she looks down and half turns her head, feeling his presence while the the crush of people in the station continue to dart about them in high speed.

Simultaneously on stage a spotlight hit her. Eric's experienced eye noted that Shashen'Ka was 110 lbs, 5'6", 36D-24-36 with generous hips and a magnificent ass. He could see that she had blue deep set eyes, and a beautiful classic Spanish face. She began a seductive flamenco dance, her elegant hand movements casting a spell in the air. She wore a classic red halter flamenco dress and red velvet dance shoes. Her hair was in a bun, a red rose tucked behind her ear. She ended the dance in the classic flamenco pose, one leg thrown back, her arms gracefully arched over her head, hands in graceful surrender as she looked behind her. Her spot light went out...

_I know my eyes already like you_

Another spot light came on to reveal the handsome man from the video, now standing behind her on stage. He caressed her with his hand up and down the length of her body. They then held a sensuous pose together.

The video on the screen changed to a shot of a huge full moon hanging like a diamond on black velvet in the night sky, the movement of clouds moving in a time lapse.

_Baby you_

_I know that love, love is found  
>Love is found<em>

The stage lit up.

The music came in.

The two began to dance a super-intense and erotic tango, the man leading her in the dance...

_I got the radio on, I know it won't be long  
>I can hear you baby, I can feel your sound<br>I'm drifting closer now_

Shashen'Ka threw him off of her, danced her slow approach to him, took him in her arms and _she_ began to lead the tango...they danced violently...

_And I can feel the sound_

_I know my eyes already like you  
>Baby you <em>

They battled through the dance and the man finally had enough. He pushed her away from him, ripped off her dress to reveal only the halter top and tight red dance pants, the top of which just hit just under her hip bones, as the flare of the hem swayed as elegantly as her dress had before. Her hourglass shape was luscious and tantalizing, and the reveal sparked even more lust in her partner.

_I know that love, love is found  
>Love is found<em>

They continued the battle, as each now danced in a mesmerizing hip-hop number dripping with carnal desire reflected in every move...

_Oh, and my heart go ba-boom-ba-boom...boom-ba-boom boom-ba-boom-boom...  
>My heart go ba-boom ba-boom<em>

The two dancers declared a momentary truce and shared a passionate kiss, and then danced a tender ballet and a pas de deux around each other...she danced him over to a chair, sat him down, distracted him with her kisses as she produced a rope that had been hanging on the chair. She danced around him and proceeded to bind him to the chair..._  
><em>  
><em>I know my eyes already like you<em>

She stepped before him then, doing a belly dance routine in seductive time to the music, her body hitting the beats in perfect synchronicity...

_Baby you_

_I know that love, love is found  
>Love is found<em>

She ripped the rose out of her hair, freeing her hair from the severe bun and began a dance that was now a cross between a belly dance, ballet and a striptease before her captive in the chair...

_Oh, and my heart go ba-boom-ba-boom...boom-ba-boom boom-ba-boom-boom..._

_My heart go ba-boom ba-boom_

_I know my eyes already like you  
>Baby you<em>

_I know that love, love is found  
>Love is found. <em>

_Oh, and my heart go ba-boom-ba-boom...boom-ba-boom boom-ba-boom-boom...  
>My heart go ba-boom ba-boom<em>

_I know my eyes already like you  
>Baby you,<em>

_I know that love, love is found  
>Love is found<em>

She stopped to play air guitar wildly along to the guitar solo for a moment, then resumed her flamenco dance...with wind blowing across the stage, the crimson chiffon drapes on the pillars fluttered dramatically behind them, the video screen showing the burning rim of a rising sun in the morning sky.

She danced wildly now, an intense hip-hop striptease where she ripped off her pants to reveal a g-string. She straddled him in the chair, gyrating on top of him, working his body with her own. Violently she grabbed his neck, twisting it to one side...

The lights went down to reveal them in silhouette then against the burning yellow sun on the video screen behind the pillars, and then she attacked him with a vicious bite to his neck, the blood spurting out of him in a fine spray as he went limp. Having her fill she rose from him, her hair blowing wildly, her beautiful body striking against the back drop of the sun. She walked towards the sun and just before the guitar duet ended the stage went completely black as the strings faded out.

The whole place erupted in thunderous, wild applause. Eric and Bill looked at each other and smiled for one unreserved, unguarded moment, then caught themselves as they looked awkwardly away again. Sitting between them Andrej could take no more and laughed heartily out loud.


	23. Chapter 23

_I was working on this chapter before the show came on and stopped to watch, of course. I am crushed. They killed my Tara. I don't know if I can go on. _

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 23

Her office was a warehouse at the rear of the club far away from the action and the noise but outfitted like a command center with a sophisticated surveillance and communications system.

"Gentlemen, please have a seat while I change into something more appropriate..." she said referring to her skimpy g-string and bra. She motioned them all to sit at the beat-up Naugahyde chairs across from her desk. She disappeared behind corner and then came back within minutes wearing camouflage pants, boots and a simple black t-shirt. She took her chair behind her desk and leaned back in it as she let out a heavy sigh. "Now please, Mr. Northman, King Bill...you have questions for me, please, ask away."

Of course she was even more beautiful up close and personal and Eric's intrigue was further stoked by the fact that her Maker had been a fellow Viking. He could see from her no-nonsense surroundings and attire that this was the real Shashen'Ka—the Warrior—and he had the feeling she was born that way. He admired her greatly, a thing rarely reserved for women from him, human or vampire. He had admired Pam of course, but he had molded her into the awesome vampire she had become; Ginger had turned out to be quite a worthy vampire in her own right, but of course, he was biased. And then there was Tara, another human-born warrior. All of these women were the most formidable he had ever been honored to know and he could easily admit that to himself. And even though this one was beautiful beyond measure he did not see her as the object she had presented herself as onstage. Even her performance was about power—her power. He had ceased to objectify her as soon as he stepped in to her office.

Bill had also been impressed by the striking vampire who now leaned back in her chair, at ease, open, comfortable in her skin, her strength worn like an invisible armor around her. As with almost all things in the past few days, she reminded him of his Tara and his thoughts went to her, as he ached for her with every fiber of his being.

"Shashen'Ka, would you please describe what transpired in the three visits that Sarah Newlin made to you?" he began finally, trying to clear his thoughts and trying to get down to business.

"Well, she told me she was with the American Vampire League and that she was here canvassing for European supporters of the Vampire Rights Amendment. Like an idiot I believed her, I didn't even check her out. Please excuse my folly, King Bill," she said as she sat up in her chair respectfully, sincerely upset over her lack of diligence.

"Your apology is more than accepted. So, what did she actually do while she was here at your club?"

"Well, she talked to a few patrons on each visit, even handed out VRA literature. She would show up in the evening, not stay more than ten or fifteen minutes and then leave."

Eric and Bill looked at each other, both of them confused. It simply made no sense.

"I would like to ask that I may come with you to the warehouse. I'm hoping that I can be of some assistance," she asked Bill humbly.

"We would greatly appreciate that, thank you. Shall we go now?"

Shashen'ka nodded a yes and then got on her desk phone. "Victor, yes, I'm going out with Andrej and our esteemed American guests—you're in charge. Yes? Yes, please do..." she rang off. "Victor is my right hand—been with me now for five hundred years," she explained as she rose to leave with them.

Eric was loving her more and more.

When they got to the abandoned warehouse it looked as deserted as all the others in the area. Shashen'Ka crushed the padlock easily in her hand and threw the doors open so the guards could go in and sweep the premises. When they were done she waited for Bill, Eric and Andrej to enter and then followed behind them.

"Take pictures of everything," Bill ordered the forensic team. There was nothing in the warehouse save a dozen or so drums of some flammable liquid stacked in a far corner. Eric walked over to them and noted the Russian writing.

"Shashen'Ka, can you come over here and tell me what's written on these drums?"

She came over to him, turned one over so that could get a clear look after she wiped away a thick film of grime and dust.

"It's refrigerant...manufactured by DuPont in the St. Petersburg, Russia distributorship," she informed him.

"And this is where Sarah has been coming? What on earth for?" Bill mumbled to himself. Certainly it was not unreasonable to find old drums of the stuff in the place, but what interest had it held for her? "Do you have any other scheduled meetings with Sarah Newlin, Shashen'Ka?"

"She only mentioned the last time I saw her that she might be back in March, but she didn't specify a date."

"Did she mention even casually where she had come from? Where her travels might take her next?"

"No, she didn't."

"Andrej, can you arrange for a truck to come haul this stuff away tonight?"

"I'm on it, King Bill," he said as he flipped out his phone and stepped away.

"We've got to find Sarah," Eric stated the obvious, lost in concentration, and just as perplexed as Bill.

"Come back with me now to the club, gentlemen. I've manged to locate fifteen people that Sarah talked to at my club when she was here last. I have them detained and waiting for you to question, as you requested," Shashen'ka informed them.

"I will stay here with half the team and finish here, King Bill; I'll meet you and back at Kalvaryja when you are done with your interrogations."

"Thank you, Andrej." With that Eric, Bill and Shashen'ka left.

* * *

><p>Some hours later, as Bill was glamouring his fifth subject he got a strange feeling. The club had been closed early so that Eric and Bill could divide the humans amongst them for interrogation and they were using the hidden rooms in the club to conduct their interviews. He looked up at the clock on the wall of the small room and saw that in less than two hours they would need to go to ground. He needed to contact Tara and give her some kind of update. He walked away from the young sorry useless human man in search of a phone when the feeling hit him again. It was Tara in his mind, in a swoon, and Bill had a feeling of being outside of himself. Then he was hit with a sense of unbearable sadness.<p>

"I need a phone!" he yelled out to no one in particular. One his guards thrust his cell phone at him.

"It has an international sim card, sir—please take it," the guard offered the phone to him urgently.

Bill dialed Tara's number.

"Hello?"

"Jessica?"

"Bill! What's going on, we've been waiting to hear..."

"Where is Tara?" he demanded.

"Hold on..." "I hate to interrupt you, Tara, but Bill is on the phone for you," Bill could hear her say through the phone. "She's coming, Bill..."

"Bill!"

"What's wrong with you? I felt you in my head—my whole soul—are you alright?"

"Yes, I'll tell you about it later, but you need to talk to Ginger," he could hear the sound of her running, the phone being handed off.

"King Bill!"

"Ginger?"

"Blackburn had some success in New Orleans. Sort of. He went to an abandoned amusement park and found a drum with Russian writing on it, filled with— "

"Refrigerant..."

"How did you know?"

"We found a dozen drums of it here, as well. Somehow Sarah Newlin is involved."

"Dr. Ludwig examined the liquid...she said it was a combination of three different classes and a compound she needs two more days to try and isolate and identify."

"Ginger, Sarah Newlin needs to be found. You and Tara put every Sheriff on it—tonight. Please put Tara back on."

"Bill, what the holy fuck?"

"We have absolutely no clue yet. I could ask you the same," he said on a personal note as he lowered his voice.

"I said I would tell you later. When are you coming back?"

"I do not know yet. Talk to Ginger—we must prepare to go to ground soon. I will Skype you tomorrow, 3 am your time."

"Alright. Bill, I love you."

"And I you," he said tersely and hung up abruptly on her. He didn't know why he was so angry at her all of a sudden. He shook it off and went back to the makeshift interrogation room—he had two more humans to go.


	24. In The Beaker

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 24 In The Beaker

The bent old woman stood at the fume cupboard in her laboratory trying to grasp just exactly what she was looking at in the beaker. Although her suspicions were far from conclusive, she knew that the amateurs behind the making of the vile concoction were cretins who had blundered their way to part of a discovery that could prove fatal to the whole global vampire community.

She didn't hate or like the vampires and they paid her well enough not to care either way. Deep down her conviction had always been that if an organism existed then it must have been meant to exist in the vast cosmic slop that was life on earth. That was the extent of her own religious beliefs and it had served her well all of her long life. She ambled tiredly over to her desk, picked up the telephone and dialed a number.

"Dr. Ludwig, what is it? I'm in the middle of..." came Nan Flanagan's imperious and highly perturbed voice through the other end of the line.

"I don't give a fuck—get your ass over here, vampire. Now."

* * *

><p>"Well, what is it?" Nan asked as she peered at the liquid in the beaker.<p>

"You would need a molecular biologist, amongst a team of other top scientists, to even begin to try and answer that question. But if he or she _could_ answer the question it would mean you would have to kill them and me, as well. Whoever these jack-offs are, they've stumbled upon a piece of the puzzle to unlocking a so-called antidote to the sun. But they need vampires to study this comprehensively. I still haven't isolated one compound in this shit and to tell you the truth I don't really want to. When you find out who is behind this—and you must find out who is behind this—it will require a thorough cleanse. Do you understand?"

"Okay, I don't agree with the whole 'abducting vampires for scientific study' thing, but an antidote to the sun..." Nan began wistfully, ruminating on the possibility of it.

"Snap out if that shit!" Dr. Ludwig barked at her angrily. "There's two sides to that coin and this endeavor has already been undertaken by those who wish vampires nothing but ill will, of that I'm sure. The ramifications are catastrophic to your kind. Just look at the human pharmaceutical industry...corporations make far more money producing medicines that are more deadly than the ills and diseases they're supposed to heal. It's never been about healing, it's never been about the cure. At least not here in America. Part of this antidote, I believe, would have great restorative properties that could possibly make the sun a problem of the past. The other part of this antidote could wipe vampires off the face of the earth. Once they discover all of the correct properties, that is.

"Whoever is behind this wants the antidote for a reason—I believe you're dealing with a self-hating vampire," Dr. Ludwig concluded.

"I don't understand..."

"Of course you don't—and neither do they. Yet. But just think of it as fairy in a glass with a radioactive plasma chaser. Whoever they are, they've just hit the tip of the iceberg, but with more brains on board they could realistically find success. They must be stopped."

"A vampire behind this?" said Nan incredulously.

"A vampire."

"There's only one vampire I know that could even remotely be behind such a thing, but he was neutralized over a year ago."

"Neutralized? What 'neutralized'? Was he sentenced to the True Death or not?"

Nan hated to admit it, but she didn't really know. She had left the details up to Eric Northman.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, you don't know?" Dr. Ludwig accused her when saw the stifled look on Nan's face. "You sure as hell better find out. Yesterday."

Nan just looked at Dr. Ludwig, trying to comprehend it all and still not quite able to. _Fucking Northman_, she thought to herself, as she began to pace the floor, fuming. She was so sick and tired of him and Bill Compton and all of the complications they always brought to the table.

"Thank you, Dr. Ludwig; as usual your services are more than greatly appreciated."

"Thorough cleanse, Flanagan."

With that Nan disappeared from Dr. Ludwig's laboratory.

* * *

><p>"It was not my intent to step on your toes with Ginger, Eric," Bill said when they were back at Kalvaryja.<p>

"No offense taken, Bill," Eric replied stiffly, belying the amusement he always felt whenever Bill owed him an apology or explanation, which had happened frequently before he became a King. "But it would have been nice if you'd put your personal issues aside long enough to think that maybe I needed to speak to her, as well." Bill smarted at the subtle rebuke, but inwardly Eric was laughing. It wasn't really that big of a deal, but he simply could not resist making Bill feel worse about needing to apologize and hitting him in his fragile ego. "Everything is alright at home, I hope," he said, with mock concern.

Bill snarled at him as his fangs popped out.

"Oh, trouble in paradise, I see..."

"Fuck off, Eric," Bill managed, his jaws clenched tightly as he tried to maintain his composure.

"Must we do this every night? Really Bill, you must make good on that invitation sometime," Eric said to him seductively.

Bill stormed off to ground.

Eric managed to quell his chuckle as he retrieved his phone from a jacket pocket to call Chow.

"Eric!" came Chow's relieved voice over the line.

"I only have minutes...I want you to use your vast resources to check out a Du Pont distributorship in St. Petersburg, Russia; specifically who's been ordering large quantities of refrigerant and who owns the Minsk warehouse that it's been shipped to for the past year. I'm sure you know by now that Sarah Newlin is involved. _Find that bitch_, Chow," Eric hissed the last words at him vehemently.

"Done. Nan Flanagan called me not twenty minutes ago—she wants a teleconference tomorrow—3 am your time."

"Fine. Any idea what it's about?"

"No."

"Alright then, talk with you again soon. And Chow?"

"Yes, Eric?"

"If your research involves any personal interactions, take a team of guards with you, understood?"

"Understood." With that the two vampires rang off.

* * *

><p>She wanted to go out, wanted to be anywhere but where she was. Even with armed escorts it unnerved her badly to leave the compound, but inside her head she was screaming to do just that. It didn't matter, anyway...all strategies were being re-planned since the foul-up with the escaped vampire and even her trips to Minsk were currently suspended. She needed and excuse, any excuse, to go above, but could think of nothing that, realistically, he would approve.<p>

What she really wanted was to get back to Dallas. She wanted to kick herself for all of the times she had been away and hadn't had the brains to know that she should give up the insane plot and just go back to where it all started. She couldn't believe that they'd managed to draft more scientists in their crazy plan, but that was directly related to the well-orchestrated recruitment efforts in Minsk. But she didn't care anymore—she just fucking wanted out of the whole deal. And there was only one person she felt that might be able to help her.

"Oh, dear...what's the matter darlin'?" came his much too familiar languid Southern drawl when he walked into the opulent drawing room. He noticed immediately the lines creasing her forehead, her blond brows knitted with worry. She looked listless and spent and not happy at all.

"Uh, nothing." She couldn't even bring herself to say his name. "I just have a headache," she lied through a nervous smile.

"Oh, honey? I do miss the light in your voice—are you worrying your poor little self over Steve?"

Sarah just looked at him blankly.

"Why, I'm sure he'll be calling any minute. Young human love—it makes me sick, but it's still quite a sight to behold," he mocked her. "Well, I'll leave you so that you may have your private moment with your dearly beloved. Tell him I said hello, will you?"

His cruel laughter, ebbing away as he left the room and disappeared down the hall to the command center, grated on every nerve in her body, but what the fuck could she do about it? What could she do about anything? If she could just get back to Dallas...

* * *

><p>I have to say, I was really bummed out by the finale. But thanks to those who took the time to review and for reminding me to stay encouraged—and you are all right—our favorite characters can live on here...Thank you <em><strong>piper1715<strong>_ and _**mybabybill **_and _**FatJan**_!

And I know that there's a reason for the "Favorites" button, but when I get a review and am led to such fantastic writing I just feel like I have to let people know about it, so I hope readers who haven't discovered these wonderful works already will read _**LilyRose Blue**_, _**Demeter1973**_, _**redandsparkly**_, and _**wisedec4u**_—thanks for your encouraging words and your stories that have just blown me away.


	25. Closure

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 25 Closure

Tara and Jessica stood at the booth where Ginger sat, as she looked up at both of them with urgent anticipation, a question on her face.

"Tara, did Bill tell you about the refrigerant?" she asked as soon as Tara slid her phone shut.

"Yes, but I don't understand..." she began, truly confused but more worried that Bill had felt her emotions behind what had transpired with Sam and what he might have been thinking.

"Chow and I met with Blackburn this evening, before I came here with you—he found something in New Orleans..."

"Blackburn is back?" Jessica asked, trying to restrain her excitement but fooling neither of the other two vampires.

"Sit down, ladies, I must be quick."

Tara and Jessica sat down.

"Blackburn found a single drum of some type of industrial liquid at Six Flags New Orleans. We called Dr. Ludwig to examine it and she concluded that it was refrigerant. She's still trying to identify all of the compounds in it; she said she would know more in forty-eight hours. When Bill talked to me he told me that they found what appears to be the same stuff, dozens of drums of it, in a warehouse there. He told me that you and I are to put every Sheriff on the task of finding Sarah Newlin." Just then Ginger's cell phone rang and she answered it immediately upon seeing the ID. "Yes, Chow? Yes...I'm coming." She looked at the two across from her, a strange look on her face.

"Chow just got calls from Eric and Nan Flanagan—she's called an emergency meeting via teleconference tomorrow night...7 pm at Fangtasia. Tara, I'll contact Duprez and Blackburn, you contact Kirsch and Isabel. Cromwell should be there, as well. AVL and World Vampire Federation representatives will also be in attendance—I've got to go. I'll see you ladies tomorrow night..." and Ginger disappeared like a shot in the dark.

"Tara, this is crazy," Jessica began, shaking her head, total shock written all over her face.

Just then Lafayette walked over to their booth.

"Okay, that shit, right there?" he said pointing to the door where Ginger had just disappeared through, "looked serious as a motherf_ucker_."

"It was. It is...Lafayette, I'm begging you to come stay at our house tonight."

Lafayette could see from the looks on both of their faces that declining her request was out of the question.

"Alright, hookah, shit..," he complained bitchily, but gave them both a look of complete and unconditional love as well as a nod of appreciation. "I know you'll fill me in later, even though I do have a mighty feelin' that I really don't fuckin' wanna know."

"Thank you, Lafayette, for not fightin' me on this."

Lafayette answered her with a kiss to her cheek and then planted one on Jessica, as well.

"Lafayette, did Sookie ever come in?" Jessica asked, just remembering why they had come there in the first place.

"Naw, and her ass didn't call in, either. Alcide's been hanging around a lot lately...girlfriend is probably just at home gettin' her groove on or some such shit—I gots to get back to mah crawfish. I'll be at the house as soon as I'm done here." He gave them a wink and headed back to the kitchen.

"Well, if she's with Alcide she'll be okay," said Jessica, turning back to Tara with a worried look on her face.

"Yeah, but we don't really know that she _is_ with Alcide," Tara pointed out. "She needs to be with us, too."

"We'll stop by her place on the way home, abduct her if we have to, okay?"

Tara smiled her agreement at Jessica.

"But we have something else we need to do, Tara..."

"What?"

"You need some training. Bill told me that you two didn't, uh, get around to it before he left. We really need to do that tonight."

"Okay, you're right. But before we leave I really need to see Sam again."

"Look, I'm not trying to get in your business, but do you really think that's wise?" asked Jessica, who was becoming less and less of a baby vampire with the rise of each moon.

"Look, I hear you, loud and clear, but I owe him some closure, Jessica. I owe it myself. Just wait for me here—it won't take long, I promise. And then we'll go get Sookie, get things in order for the meeting tomorrow and get our training in. Just give me a minute?"

"Okay, I understand."

Tara smiled a thanks at her and headed back to Sam's Trailer. Jessica whipped out her phone and dialed Blackburn's number, a happy sly smile forming on her face.

* * *

><p>There was a knock on his door.<p>

Sam lay sprawled on his couch wide awake and not as drunk as he wanted to be. He knew who it was but found himself powerless to move even one muscle in his body.

"It's open...come in, damn you," he managed to say at last.

Tara walked in upon his invitation, treading lightly.

"I deserve that, Sam. I know I do."

"Yeah, you do," he agreed, angrily.

"I don't know how you could love me, Sam. I've never been anything but terrible to you. I mean, the night you claim that you fell in love with me—that was a beautiful night. But the next morning I rejected you, everything about you—how could you love someone who could do that to you?"

Sam sat up then, sighed heavily and then rose to his feet. He looked at her for a long while before he finally tried to form words to say, but found his lips and vocal cords at odds with his uncooperative brain. He just shook his head at her. Tara didn't know if it was because he couldn't answer the question himself or because he couldn't believe that she had asked it.

"Please say something, Sam."

He wanted to tell her that even though her reaction had hurt him he'd understood it completely; he'd known how she felt about supernaturals and her reaction had been honest and true. But he had also known that their connection with each other and the feelings that they had shared—the love that they had made—would have eventually helped her to overcome her initial reaction. And he had been right. Had he not had that conviction in his heart he would never have been able to trust her with his revelation in the first place. He wanted to tell her this, but he just couldn't fix his mouth to say it. There was only one thing he wanted to do with his mouth...

"Sam? Please, you're breaking my heart," she said, her face losing its composure, her lips beginning to tremble. "I'm sorry that I hurt you," she said, trying desperately to hold back the blood tears.

Sam advanced upon her then, his arms outstretched, rushing to take her face into his hands as Tara found her feet moving towards him with a will of their own; he held her beautiful face in his strong hands and looked deeply into her eyes, accepting her apology with his own, the heat between them palpable and all consuming. He shook his head again at her, with disbelief, great sadness and the knowledge that his incredible love and desire for her would never fade. Finally he kissed her waiting lips and she returned it, her kiss as full of love as his own. With great difficulty they broke away from each other.

They were both crying, then, silent tortured tears streaming down both of their faces.

"Sam," Tara sobbed, her chest heaving, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she was caught in the throes of a violent crying jag, "Sam..." she looked down at the ground in shame and understanding, knowing what was coming.

"Tara Thornton, I will love you forever. It should have been you and me."

"Oh, Sam..." Tara dropped to her knees, as if someone had just knocked the wind out of her with a powerful punch to her gut.

"You must never come to me again. I rescind..." he could barely get the words out of his mouth and through his anguished tears. "I rescind my invitation to you to ever enter my home again..." and he turned away from her, his heart broken beyond all repair, unable to witness the effect of his rescission.

The same force that had manifested itself in Lettie Mae's house the night Tara went to her rose up in the trailer, but this time the words worked and Tara hurtled ungraciously through Sam's door and out into the night as his door slammed shut behind her.

She lay sobbing on the ground, knowing in her heart that it had been necessary for him to do and harbored him no ill will. She willed herself to get up and pull herself together, then raced to the employee washroom in back of the restaurant to clean herself up before facing Jessica.


	26. Convergence

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 26 Convergence

Chow sat at Eric's desk peering at his laptop reading the last communique that had come from a friend at the American Consulate in St. Petersburg.

"Ginger!" he called out to her excitedly, a wry smile on his face. Ginger rushed in from the other room, noting the optimism in his voice.

"Yes? Something good?"

"Very good—come look at this..." he motioned her to the laptop. My friend has been able to pull some considerable strings in getting me this information so fast. Sale documents and shipment manifests are all linked to an American buyer from a DBA—NTD Industries, Inc.—and owned by "Sonny Daye". Nothing on this company comes up in any legitimate database. So I checked it against Offshore Banking databases and bingo—they come up all over the map, typical transactions involving major purchases of arms and ammunition for the past ten years. One small shipment of semi-automatic weapons in 2005, however, was purchased and signed for by Theodore Newlin."

"Fuck me," said Ginger, amazed.

"Yeah, their one lovely slip-up. It's only been the past eight months or so that NTD has started dabbling in chemicals and so far this DuPont distributorship is the only company showing up on recent shipping manifests. All shipments went to Minsk but after that I hit a dead end. I've got a specialists working on finding out who really owns NTD, but it couldn't be anyone other than Steve Newlin."

Chow's phone rang.

"Hello, Resnick...yes...really? Construction materials? How much? I see..." Chow entered the information he was hearing into a document on his laptop, typing furiously with each tidbit of information. "Alright, got it. Thanks, Resnick, I owe you big time." and then he rang off. "We need to get to Dallas, but there's just not enough time to pull everything together before the meeting tomorrow. If Eric was here he could fly there in time to investigate this Intel. But it's definitely Steve Newlin."

"We know a vampire who can fly," Ginger smiled at him conspiratorially.

"Who?"

"Julian Cromwell."

"Oh, please. He looks like he's afraid of his own shadow."

"No, I don't get that from him, at all. And even if he is, we need his help—he has to do it. So, give me the details, already," she asked him excitedly.

* * *

><p>When Tara and Jessica arrived at Sookie's house the porch light was on but the place was locked up tight. Tara banged on the door.<p>

Jessica stood beside her fixated on her wet tank top, that was rapidly drying from their hyper-speed dash from Merlotte's to Sookie's front door; she had noticed the watered-down streaks of blood on the fabric, but said nothing.

"Sookie? Sookie, are you home?" Tara yelled out urgently. There was no answer. "Sookie!"

"I'll check around back," said Jessica as she whisked away. She was back in seconds. "Nothing. I looked through the window—nothing is out of place, I don't see signs of a struggle or anything..."

"Yeah, I don't see anything like that here, either," said Tara as she peered through each window off of the porch.

"She's probably just out with Alcide or something. We'll call or come back before sundown, see if we can't catch up with her—I'm sure she's fine. Come on, we really need to get some training in."

"I sure hope you're right."

Sarah never got her call from Steve, but that was just a big joke, anyway. He wasn't far away at all, just in another wing of the compound. Suddenly she heard a commotion at the main elevator. She went to investigate and could not believe her eyes: they had done it—they had secured one-third of the equation needed to help them try and unlock the secrets of vampirism. She looked at the poor creature on the gurney and was glad that the subject was unconscious. She turned on her heel and went immediately to see Steve.

She found him posted at his usual place: his favorite leather wing back chair, pouring over papers as he sat behind his desk.

"I didn't call you," he said nastily when he looked up at her.

"I know, but..."

"Well, spit it out, whatever it is—I'm busy."

"Your first piece of the puzzle just arrived."

The news brought a smile to his face. "Wonderful! But why didn't someone call me?"

"I'm sure they were, but I was so excited for you I just wanted to rush and tell you myself."

Steve's desk phone rang, corroborating Sarah's account. "Yes, I just heard it from Sarah. No I'm not happy, I should have been told before you even got here," Steve barked into the phone. "Fine, I'm on my way."

"Steve," she stepped up to him bravely, betraying her total fear of him, "I was just wondering if I could go above..."

"I don't give a fuck what you do now, you back-stabbing slut. Go above and don't come back. But you know that I can find you, wherever you are. And I'll be coming for you soon so that I can kill you and watch the life drain out of your eyes, your body, your whole fucking soul!" he uttered the murderous words to her with a cheerful smile on his face and in his voice, his demeanor more chilling than the death threat he had leveled at her. Tears sprang to Sarah's eyes as she backed away from him, turned and ran out of the room.

* * *

><p>Julian Cromwell had been alone at Bill's mansion all evening. Tara and Jessica had arisen before him and when he heard them conversing as they walked down the hall together he stayed in his cubby out of sight. At about eight o'clock they left together and inwardly he was relieved. He took a hot shower, availed himself of a donor and then retired to his private room, glad to be alone and his hosts otherwise occupied. He turned on the small flat screen television sitting on the console across from his bed and was content to let whatever nonsense was on keep him company, as he drowned out the noise and just let himself get lost in the visuals that he cared nothing about at all. Doing so served to help him keep his thoughts away from Lucas, and for that he was thankful.<p>

Two hours later there was a knock at his bedroom door.

"Yes?" he sat up, alarmed.

"Mr. Cromwell, you have a call from Mr. Chow of Fangtasia. He says it's urgent, sir. We can transfer the call to you desk phone, if you like."

Cromwell opened the door to see a lovely little female human guard standing before him. Although impressive in her black well-fitting uniform dripping with weapons, she didn't look deadly at all. She was just a slip of a girl who looked like she should be out on a date with the captain of the football team, but he knew better. King Bill's guards were all professionally trained, many of them having been recruited away from special ops forces of the Navy and Marines. He admired them all but felt sorry for them; no matter how expert they were they were still only human and the job came with a high mortality rate. "Thank you, that would be fine."

The guard spoke into a mouthpiece, "Go ahead, please. Your caller is on the line, Sir, just hit the flashing red button after you pick up the receiver," and with that she was gone. He went to the phone.

"Yes?" he greeted Chow cautiously.

"We need a favor of you. Would you please come to Fangtasia immediately? No vehicle transport—please fly here, if you would."

"Alright, I'm on my way," he replied simply. He had a bad feeling but he quelled it. He changed out of his lounging clothes into black jeans, a black turtle neck sweater and a pair of boots. He then took a sheet of paper from a tablet in the bedside night table and wrote a brief note to his hosts...

* * *

><p>Sam walked into the kitchen looking tore up from the floor up. Lafayette was preparing a dish for the last customer of the night. He eyed Sam out of the corner of his eyes, and noticed that he was stumbling on unsteady legs. Sam bumped into the grill, about to catch himself by placing his hands on it.<p>

"Whoa, there boss," Lafayette rushed to catch him and pulled him away from the hot grill. He could smell the tequila on his breath, but said nothing.

"Oh, shit...thanks for that, Lafayette. Hey, you about done with that?" Sam motioned to the pot on the stove, boiling up something delicious that Sam couldn't place at that moment.

"Uh, yeah...last customer...oxtails and rice. Be up in about five minutes..."

"Okay, well when you're done you can go on home, buddy. Me and Terry'll finish up here."

"Hey Sam, you said I could leave early tonight," Terry yelled from where he was cleaning the fryer.

"You can still leave early, Terry...hell, we can all leave early..."

Sam walked into the dining room and approached the last customer, a woman sitting alone at a table.

"Ma'am, you're going to have to take yours to go...pretty lady like you shouldn't be out this time of night alone, anyway. And it's on the house." Sam wheeled around and pointed at Lafayette, "On the house, Lafayette, and to go—bag it up!" he clapped his hands together and started to laugh.

The woman got up gladly then, happy for the free meal but not the dramatics. Lafayette handed her order to her and escorted her to her car with apologies. He came back in to find Sam sitting in a booth, his laughing fit over.

Sam glared at him angrily and then caught himself.

"Guys, just go home. And we're closed tomorrow. And maybe even the next day after that. Tell everybody else. Whatever's not put up just leave it—I'll get it tomorrow."

Terry and Lafayette looked at each other, not believing what they were hearing but both knowing better than to say anything.

"Well, what are you waitin' for? An engraved invitation? I said go the fuck home!"

There were only four of them left: a waitress, a busboy and Terry and Lafayette.

"I said everybody OUT! Get your shit and go the fuck home!" he yelled at no one in particular.

The four employees scurried to get their personal belongings and go, each of them confused and worried for Sam even as he literally pushed them out of the door slammed it shut and locked it forcefully behind them.

Lafayette waved good night to his work mates, got in his truck and headed to Bill and Tara's.

* * *

><p>Sarah couldn't believe that it had been that easy. Of course her trump card had been the poor soul on the gurney. It didn't matter—she still had a death sentence lingering over her head. But then again, maybe not.<p>

Whatever happened next she knew that it was the last time she'd ever have to see the horrible place she was leaving, ever again. She felt like Lot's wife, and she knew that if she looked back she would not be able to take the steps ahead necessary to her salvation and that she would die there. But the guards escorted her out and to a waiting limousine, their instructions to take her wherever she wished to go being followed exactly as ordered and without question. Within twenty minutes she was on a private airfield, a chartered jet waiting for her. She had no bags, no luggage, just her purse, that was filled with cash. As soon as she was out of the idling limo it went into gear, circled back and off the field, speeding out of sight.

"Yeah, well fuck you, too," she muttered under her breath. She pulled five crisp thousand dollar bills from her purse and handed them to the surprised pilot.

"Dallas. And please radio ahead and have someone arrange a car for me."

"Yes ma'am," he said as he helped her in to the small plane.

* * *

><p>When Lafayette arrived at the mansion he had been expected and was waved through without question, but guards inside the gate were running around everywhere in a frenzy; several patrol cars were parked at the front door, lights flashing. He could make out several bodies covered with sheets—one at the top of the steps and two at the bottom. Julian Cromwell was standing at the top at the front door looking as if he was in shock.<p>

Lafayette stopped his truck at the closest spot to the door that was not obstructed, jumped out and ran towards Julian, who saw him and made his way over the bodies carefully to come meet him.

"Julian, what the fuck, man?"

"I believe Tara and Jessica have been abducted," he said as if he could not believe the words that were coming out of his own mouth.

"What?"

"They left here about eight pm—I haven't seen or heard from them since."

"I know, they came to Merlotte's. They just left about an hour ago, if that," Lafayette informed him.

"I got a call from Mr. Chow at Fangtasia—he wants to see me, for a favor, he said. I was just getting ready to walk out of the door, not fifteen minutes ago; I heard a scuffle; I opened the door to find this..." he motioned to the mayhem around them.

"I'll go with you..." Lafayette began, pulling on Julian's arm, making ready to head for his truck. Julian stood as motionless and unyielding as a mountain. "Well, come on man, let's go..."

"There's not enough time, Lafayette. As it is they want me to fly to Fangtasia—it's that urgent."

"Then I'll drive myself..."

"No, believe it or not it's probably much safer to just get inside and stay here," Julian suggested gently.

"I don't fucking think so!" Lafayette yelled at him. "Look at this shit...my cousin is missin, Jessica is missin'—I can't just sit here and do nothin'!"

"You really don't have much of a choice. Go inside, Lafayette. Do me a big favor and call Chow and Ginger and tell them what has happened here and that I'm on my way. I promise you as soon as I know _anything_ I will call you first and foremost. You must take my word on that. I must go. Please do that for me," Julian begged him as he looked intently into Lafayette's beautiful frantic eyes.

"FUCK!" Lafayette yelled, a tear forming in the corner of his eye as he tried to stave off throwing a full tantrum.

Julian rose straight up into the air and was a memory in less than a second.

* * *

><p>Julian stood before Chow and Ginger and listened to as condensed a version of events as they could manage. In a corner Blackburn paced like a hungry lion in a cage, foaming at the mouth and ready to kill anything that got even remotely too close to him. He had just talked to Jessica and they had made plans to hunt together after the teleconference. He feared the worst for her and Tara and was ready to rip the head off of anything that even remotely smelled of Sarah or Steve Newlin.<p>

"Look, it's not even eleven yet, there will be plenty of time for me to look around—I'll find something, I promise you that," Julian tried to assuage their worries.

"I don't know, I'm having second thoughts about this. Eric told me expressly not to investigate anything personally without a full team of guards..."

"No, every minute counts now...send some if you must by plane—they can meet me later. I must go now."

Chow had seriously underestimated him; Julian had shown him that he was more than ready for a fight, and he fully appreciated what was at stake and the danger that Julian was placing himself in. Julian looked at him as if he understood his thoughts.

"I was simply in mourning, my friend. I still am, but it fuels me, it does not make me weaker. And I don't want what I've been through to touch any of you. You must know that."

"I do. Thank you. We'll call Isabel—you can stay at her nest and take the meeting from there."

"Fine."

"I'm flying in with the guards," Blackburn announced from the corner of the room. "I'll see you an hour from now be with you at her nest tomorrow night."

"That works. I'm gone, comrades." Julian disappeared.

Ginger was on the phone behind the bar arranging the flight for the guards and Blackburn. She gave him his instructions and Blackburn hauled out to meet the transport plane. She then called Isabel.

"Isabel..." she began, ready to run down the events of the past few days yet again.

It was now Chow's turn to pace the floor. He knew he needed to call Nan and he would. He also needed to call Eric and King Bill and _that _he truly dreaded. He became aware suddenly of Ginger's irritated voice.

"What is the problem, Isabel? No, it's already quite an undertaking that we send enough guards to protect them and your nest, sending them to Hotel Carmilla makes absolutely no sense at all under the circumstances...you can set up from your nest and patch into the meeting...yes, I'm sending the equipment to you for that, we always have extra because Nan operates so many meetings from here.

"No, your objection is not valid and if you have a problem with that you can take it up with Nan. For the last time, Isabel, it doesn't make sense for you all to come here for the meeting now, not with what we've found about the Newlins. As a matter of fact, you need to be making preparations of your own while we wait to hear what Nan has to say. I'm not arguing with you any more: They're staying with you so you'd better be hospitable and make their stay a pleasant one. Call me when they arrive to go to ground." Ginger hung up angrily.

"I don't believe that bitch," she fumed.

"We've got an even bigger problem—which one do you want to call, Nan or Eric?"

Ginger took Chow's hand in her own, understanding how he felt completely. Having to tell Eric that Sookie was missing? It was not a desired task. He had severed his ties with her, but whether he admitted it or not Eric still cared deeply for Sookie and would still do anything for her if she needed his help. It was why he had sent her with Tara to tell Sookie that he was offering his service of full protection for her during this new vampire threat. But they had been too late. If anyone should suffer the brunt of his anger Ginger knew that it should be her and not Chow.

"I'll call him," she told him reassuringly.

* * *

><p>Julian arrived at the abandoned Fellowship of the Sun church just before midnight. He knew that he would find nothing there. The building was boarded up but easy enough to get in to, which was evidenced by missing planks of wood all about the building. He stepped through an opening and went in to the church.<p>

The usual vandalisms had taken place throughout: pews were defaced with graffiti and some were missing altogether; the altar before the huge stained glass window had been set fire to and was just a charred black stump; various areas throughout looked as if they had been used for small bonfires and he was surprised that the whole place had not been set aflame long ago.

He went to down to the basement where supply rooms had once contained vast stores extra food and ammunition as well as the holding cells that had once housed Sookie and Godric, the two thousand year-old vampire who had walked into the sun as so many old weary vampires had before him. It was now it just a dank, dusty rat-infested dungeon, also ravaged by looters and brave vagrants who had the sense move on from the cursed place and leave nothing of themselves behind.

The place was a wash-out. He retrieved his phone from a pant pocket and called Blackburn.

"Don't waste your time here tonight. Or do so if you want—you may find something that I have not. I think it would be better if the guards did a daytime sweep, just my opinion. I'm heading to Isabel's nest now. Yes...alright."

* * *

><p>"How did you get in here?" Isabel hissed at her.<p>

"I walked in the front door. You've always been pretty lax here about security," Sarah retorted, referring to the horrible night that Luke McDonald had walked in and blown himself and the place to smithereens, taking out scores of vampires with him.

"Get out of here before I eat you, Sarah."

"You'll do no such thing, Isabel. All bullshit aside, I need your help."

"My help? Why would I help you?" Isabel sneered at her.

"Because all of this is YOUR fault! And if you don't help me I'll go to the Authority and tell them everything I know," Sarah told her matter-of-factly, all of her fear gone. She knew she was going to die, but she really hoped that it would not be in vain: Steve needed to be stopped and she knew that Isabel was the only one who could.

"What has he done now?"

"You know good and damn well what he's done now and so does the Authority, by now. That vampire got away. But Steve has not given up, Isabel; he's gotten more scientists on board and they're getting closer to what it is they're trying to find out. Doesn't that worry you? Doesn't it bother you even a little bit that your kind could be facing extinction? And besides Steve there's Russell Edgington to worry about."

"Russell Edgington?" the news threw Isabel visibly. "Russell Edgington?"

"Yes. They're working together now. How could you not know?"

"I don't understand..." Isabel took a step back from her, the horror of it all seeming to finally seep into her brain.

"Steve wants to kill the vampires; Russell wants to kill everybody, but he's determined and convinced that he can find the cure to the sun. They have Sookie Stackhouse tied to a gurney as we speak; and they've just collected Bill Compton's progeny as well as his half-vampire, half-witch Consort this very night—Russell is beside himself with joy. Steve was so ecstatic that he let me go. I know I'm a dead woman, either way. But the experiments will begin any time now."

"What is it to you, Sarah? You, who have taught countless humans the fine art of staking vampires and how to deliver them to the sun," she spat the words at her.

"Isabel, it's wrong. I've been doing wrong for a large part of my life and I'm tired. I can't be a part of this madness anymore, I refuse; I can't just stand by and watch it happen, either. If I'm gonna die then I wanna die trying to make it come to an end. And Steve is your fault—YOU made Steve a vampire and look what you've wrought unto the world. He must be stopped—they must be stopped. From what I understand you can stop Steve with just the words—why won't you do it?"

"Because it is YOUR fault, you crazy human bitch! You and all of your insane fundamentalist bullshit and your blind, stupid sheeple followers! YOU, that cost me Godric and Hugo, everything that mattered to me! You think I'm going to sign my death warrant with your blood?"

"You signed your death warrant when you involved yourself with that traitor, Hugo; you signed your death warrant when you denied him what he wanted most: to be immortal, like you. You led the wrong asshole down the garden path, Isabel. And for that we all have to pay? Innocent people, vampires and humans alike, have to pay for him?"

"No one has to pay for him. I found him easily and killed him for his treachery. And now I will kill you. And your little story will die with you."

* * *

><p>Of one thing Sarah was more than right about: security at Isabel's nest was more than lax, it was completely non-existent. And there was no sign of other vampires about.<p>

Julian heard the exchange between the two women from a long hallway that led from the front door. He stepped stealthily back outside, called Blackburn and reported what he could as quietly as he could.

"Yes, come here directly. I will try to subdue her, but I'll kill her if it comes down to my life or hers...yes, I know...I prefer to take them both alive...yes, hurry." He hung up the phone, turned it off and threw it in the bushes. What he needed was silver, but he saw nothing on the building that he could use. He had an idea. He smashed the glass entry door and waited.

* * *

><p>"What the fuck?" Isabel rushed Sarah and put her in a choke hold. "Did you bring someone here?" she hissed into her neck, fangs bared.<p>

"No, I came alone and you know it," Sarah gasped, trapped in the steel vice that was Isabel's arm. Isabel walked Sarah over to a wall and then slammed her head into it, knocking her unconscious. She went down the hall towards the shattered door and saw nothing. She stepped through the door frame, the shattered glass crunching loudly under foot when suddenly she felt as if all the wind in her body had been knocked out of her; Julian swept her up and carried her as high in the sky as he dared to go.

"Who are you?" she managed to gasp, the thin air threatening to cause her dead lungs to collapse.

"See if you can figure it out before you hit the ground," Julian said, and then dropped her out of his embrace and from heaven.

Isabel screamed as she sailed through the air and then landed feet first, onto her own concrete roof, shattering every bone in her body. She was not dead and that had not been his intent, anyway, just the only effective way Julian could think of to slow her down. He flew down and sat at her side, watching to see how quickly she was healing, ready to repeat the action as many times as necessary until back-up arrived, but he needn't have worried; she was unconscious for the time being and deeply embedded in the concrete. Within twenty minutes he heard the screech of tires of many Anubis vans and Blackburn's voice calling to him. He dared not leave her side, but he yelled out at the top of his lungs, "Bring silver!"


	27. And The Moon Sees

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 27 And The Moon Sees

Blackburn reached Julian on the roof well ahead of several human guards, who were taking even longer to get there under the burden of carrying heavy cables of the requested silver. He arrived to see Julian crouched down and watching his charge intently; she appeared to be trying to come to, strangled moans coming from the vicinity of her crushed face—if one could call it a face—embedded in the concrete floor. Her body was a twisted, mangled, broken wreck and, as horrible as it was, Blackburn could not hold back that which was bubbling up in him and erupted unchecked into a full-blown fit of laughter.

"Julian," he managed a smile through his laughter, "well done!"

"Well, she's older than me and she was about to kill the human downstairs—it was the best thing I could think of, at the time," he smiled up at Blackburn impishly.

"I do like your style, Mr. Cromwell."

"I think you'd better check the poor woman downstairs...Isabel gave her head a pretty nasty crack upon a wall there earlier..."

"She's being seen to," Blackburn informed him.

Four guards arrived with the silver then, but when they saw Isabel they stopped dead in their tracks, each of them looking completely unsure as to how to proceed.

"For the moment just cover her body completely with the silver chains. We'll excavate her later," Blackburn instructed them, as another uncontrollable fit of laughter overtook him. The guards did as they were instructed; when they were done they stood over her, their custom assault rifles loaded with wooden silver-tipped bullets, cocked and aimed at the helpless vampire.

"We shall have to do something soon, Blackburn, it will be sunrise in about four hours," Julian said as he rose finally and went to him." The two of them walked over to the stairs and stopped.

"She needs blood to help speed up the healing, but the only way to give it to her in that state would be by transfusion," noted Blackburn.

"No, let's give her a couple of hours, see how she does..."

"Or we could just get some shovels..." Blackburn began, laughing again.

"Alright, are you done cracking yourself up now?"

"Don't say 'cracking up'," Blackburn warned him facetiously. His laughing fit was infectious by then and having an effect, finally, on Julian, who chuckled lightly. "I don't know what's come over me," Blackburn apologized as his laughter began to subside.

"It's been quite a night and this new development is quite heady, to say the least—I'm pretty sure I get it."

"Okay, I'll try and pull it together," Blackburn said in earnest and then caught his own unintended pun. He looked at Julian and struggled hard to do just that as he choked back a hearty guffaw. "So, a couple of hours then..."

"Yes, we have a lot of phone calls to make and this whole day to go before the meeting. We need to update Chow, Ginger and Nan Flanagan. But first I must call Lafayette."

Julian's words sobered Blackburn who nodded his head in agreement.

"Besides, I don't want her to heal completely yet, at least not before Nan Flanagan can get here—compared to what's probably going to happen to her later she should consider this a spa day," Julian said as he looked over at her one last time before they headed downstairs.

Back on the ground floor and before the two vampires headed into the nest, Julian retrieved his phone from the bushes, slid it open and turned it back on. Blackburn looked a question.

"My phone has been acting crazy, lately...it keeps either going into some crazy service mode or just rebooting on its own altogether—I didn't want it to possibly give me away while I was waiting in ambush of Isabel," he explained. "This new technology is a blessing and a boon..."

Blackburn took the phone out of Julian's hand and looked at it closely. "No, you just need a better phone." Julian snatched his phone back, the smile on his face registering that his new friend's words were correct. Blackburn whipped out his own phone as they went inside where Sarah was being attended to by medics, and well enough to be sitting handcuffed to a chair.

* * *

><p>"Yes, Lafayette, that's all we know, now...I promise you we will find them...yes, Sarah is conscious and I'm going to question her in a moment, but I wanted to call you first, as I told you I would do...you must trust in us, Lafayette..." Julian tried to keep his as voice calm and soothing as Lafayette's was hysterical.<p>

While Julian talked to Lafayette in one corner of the room Blackburn occupied another, relating the events to Chow.

"Yes, she's still on the roof, but we'll collect her shortly...so you've got it all? Yes...great—that means their day won't be wasted by being out of the loop. Alright...we'll be waiting..."

"Lafayette, I really must go, we don't have long before sunrise and we've got to interrogate Sarah before we go to ground...I'll just have enough time to send a report to King Bill and Eric and I will leave instruction for them to contact you as soon as they read it, do you understand? Yes, my friend, that should be sometime between eleven am and noon today here. Yes, we will, and thanks for that—you do the same, Lafayette, do not leave King Bill's. Alright, I'll talk to you again tonight."

Both vampires concluded their calls and met each other in front of Sarah in her chair.

"We'll get what we can out of her and report back to Chow so that he can pass it all along to King Bill and Eric. Nan will come here after the teleconference," Blackburn informed Julian.

"Good. I promised Lafayette that King Bill or Eric should contact him after they are updated..."

"Understood, I'll see to it." Blackburn turned his attention then to their scared and woozy prisoner in the chair. Sarah looked up at them, not knowing what to expect.

"I heard your conversation with Isabel, Sarah. We don't have time for all of the details at this moment; right now we need to know where Tara, Sookie and Jessica are being held." Julian's voice was soothing but firm.

"Do we really need to bother with the good cop/bad cop routine, Julian? Just glamour her," Blackburn snarled, never taking his eyes away from hers.

"You don't need to...to...glamour me," Sarah stammered, "I want to help. That's why I came here," she said as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I don't know why I thought Isabel would help—she made Steve, but she abandoned him and left him to his own devices. I think she meant for him to die in his grave, but I found him..." she began to cry then, remembering that awful night over a year ago. "I found him three nights later...he was ravenous and I thought he was going to kill me, but he said he wouldn't dare pollute his blood with mine. He was stark raving mad—he still is..."

"We don't have time for your little trip back down memory lane!" Blackburn yelled at her furiously, his fangs extended, one hand suddenly wrapped about her thin delicate neck. "WHERE ARE THEY?"

Sarah's eyes darted to Julian who had been kinder to her but realized that he had no intention of stopping the other vampire.

"Steve and Russell Edgington built a facility under Six Flags, in New Orleans...that's where they are," she sobbed.

Blackburn looked at Julian then, his rage making him forget about the puny human and her throat within his grasp.

"Blackburn! Don't kill her yet..." Julian said as he reached for his hand and drew it away as Sarah coughed violently, gasping for air.

Blackburn retrieved his phone and called Chow.

"You...you, you and you...strip search her; then secure her in room and guard her door," Julian signaled to four guards. "You two find Isabel's cubby and prepare it for me and Blackburn," he ordered two others who then dashed off as commanded. "You three...find a cubby for Isabel where she can remain subdued—keep her silvered within an inch of her life inside a coffin and without," and off the three guards went.

Blackburn concluded his conversation with Chow.

"Alright, all information is being transmitted to Minsk as we speak. Where do you think all of the other nest mates are?"

"I don't know. But it's time to collect Isabel now," Julian said, weary and ready let the Little Death overtake him. "Secure every entrance and exit to this place," he directed the last of the guards, finally. "Let's go get Isabel," he said to Blackburn, his thoughts running in all directions: to the imminent shock and anger of Eric and King Bill when they rose in the evening to the torrent of bad news; to the fury of Eric Northman who was clearly not a fan of Isabel's, as evidenced by the silent war they'd waged against each other in the last meeting just a week prior; to poor, hysterical Lafayette who would most likely be good for nothing until he heard something from Minsk. But most of all his thoughts and concerns went out to the three women lying in fear and confusion in the insane clutches of Steve Newlin and Russell Edgington; he imagined, all to well, what they must surely be going through and knew that it was even worse than that.


	28. Hours Of The Sun

I do not own Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 28 Hours Of The Sun

Everything in the room was white: blinding, medical room white.

Sookie's mind was reeling: whatever they had injected her with was wearing off, but her head felt like a balloon inflated to its last possible limit—and then popped. The horror was this feeling had kept repeating itself ever since she'd become conscious again. She had opened her eyes only long enough to be blinded by the whiteness of the room and a light directly above her, her first punishment for trying to wake up and escape the hell inside of her head.

Clear thoughts and lucid memories waged a battle with the pounding cacophony of jumbled images and voices ricocheting inside her skull. Sookie felt as if she could see into her own head and saw her brain as a battlefield; the damaged synapses fired off neurons in a hail of deadly electrical charges that she could almost hear as they cracked like thunder and sizzled when they hit the well portions of gray matter, frying the healthy cells and setting them ablaze in a merciless onslaught.

It was impossible to open her eyes again, but she didn't need to in order to see the faces of those she loved swimming before them. She saw Gran's smiling face: _"Use the gift God gave you..." _she urged her; she saw Jason's loving smile as he said: _"...And I love you, even though I wish you'd cook for me more..." _before his visage burned away to reveal Tara, cradling her in her arms and sobbing: _"Don't you fuckin' die on me, Sookie—do not fuckin' die..." _as Sookie swore in her delirium that she could feel her warm, strong embrace; then there was Hadley, frantic, her face full of fear: _"If they find you they're gonna do horrible things..."_

Horrible things, _yes, horrible things_; her life had been filled to the brim with horrible things...

* * *

><p>Tara and Jessica lay silvered on thin pallets in cells separated by silver bars. Had they been conscious they would have been able to see each other, but they were not. In each cell there was a window at the top of the wall, as wide as the solid wall it was built in to, but not more than two inches in height; just a slit that let the sunlight in like a laser beam, shooting down from the top of the room, inching across it slowly as the sun made its journey through the day, stealthily seeking its intended targets.<p>

* * *

><p>Russell Edgington braved the morning sun to go and marvel at his prized specimens one more time before he went to ground. He went first to view the two young vampires. He was familiar with Bill Compton's red-headed progeny, had even tasted her blood once. The memory might have been a pleasant one had it not been attached to the death of his beloved Talbot. There were still not enough words in the universe that would ever adequately express his grief and profound sense of loss.<p>

"Oh my Talbot, my love," he said to himself aloud, a sneer on his face, his lips trembling with rage, a fine bloody spray of spittle dripping unchecked from his mouth, "They will pay for you, oh yes they will." He cast his gaze upon Tara, the one who had cost him the best vampire private eye he'd ever had the pleasure of doing business with. Franklin had been a relatively young vampire himself, not quite sixty years born, but what he had lacked in age he had more than made up for with enthusiasm and an attention to detail that was legendary. And now he was gone, too, because of this one whom he had become so enamored of.

Again he spoke to himself, looking at her as if she was a bug to be squished under his boot, "Consort..." he sniffed and rolled his eyes. "MY TALBOT WAS A PRINCE AMONG MERE MORTALS!" he roared at her comatose body. "My Byzantium Beauty," he began to sob softly to himself. "αγάπη μου... mo ghrá..." Russell hugged himself, his anguish all-consuming, and he let out a blood-curdling wail. The two vampires ón their pallets heard nothing of his diatribe and lay as still and dead as the hours of the sun rendered all vampires. He walked up to the silver bars and leaned his face just close enough to lick one smoothe rod, enjoying the burn as he inhaled the smoke of his singed tongue as if it were a fine cigar, and then spat through the bars and into her cell.

He left them both then, desire and anticipation so strong he felt as if he wanted to dance, which he gave in to; in his mind heard their screams, his three fair bitches; their cries of pain he could already hear, more beautiful than the Blue Danube Waltz. Yes, he could hear their tortured souls screaming in his head and his feet, indeed, carried him as he waltzed with himself all the way to the laboratory.

He was positively giddy as a pig in the sunshine, the thought of it so apropos, so joyous that he began to laugh maniacally, almost unable to stop himself. He looked at the little human hick ón the table and sobered immediately.

"You cruel little back-woods blood bag," he hissed at her. Don't think I've forgotten our lovely little tete-a-tete in Fangtasia," he smiled at her through the plate glass window. "Yes, you," he squinted his eyes and poked his fore-finger upon the glass and twisted it slowly, hard enough to press a dent into it. "Yes, you are going to pay dearly. We are that much closer to our Sookie Extract, now that our main ingredient is here. We're going to synthesize you bitch, and use every part of you that we need, rooter to the tooter, darlin'..."

Russell danced away from the window, ignoring the bleeds trickling from his eyes, nose and ears. He half-sang, half-whispered a crazy nursery rhyme to himself as he made his way to his cubby:

_If all the world were paper,  
>And all the sea were ink,<br>If all the trees  
>Were bread and cheese,<br>What should we have to drink? _

He laughed softly to himself, "Why, Sookie Juice, of course!" he bellowed as he shut his door behind him.

* * *

><p>Vitaly Makarov was a distinguished older gentleman whose lithe muscular frame and youthful good looks belied the grey hair on his head and in his neat trim beard. He was going about his usual daytime duties, which included, first and foremost, supervising all facets of security for the WVF members, who had long since retired to their stately cubbies. There were five more hours yet to go before sunset and Vitaly had more than enough work to do that kept him busy every day of the week.<p>

He was Andrej Kuznetsov's most trusted and loyal human manservant and had been handling the day to day affairs at Kalvaryja for the past twenty years. So when he saw the faxes starting to stream in around two pm in Andrej's private office it was not unusual for him to not only read them but to conduct the necessary business at hand. But when he read the communiques that were coming in fast and furiously over the secure connection he knew that he must raise Andrej immediately. He alone had the authority to do such a thing and he took the key around his neck off and headed to Andrej's cubby.

Vitaly unlocked the door quickly and quietly, and even though the action was a rare one his entrance into Andrej's private sanctuary in and of itself was a signal to the sleeping vampire that something serious had happened. Andrej woke as soon as the key touched the lock and was up waiting for Vitaly to speak.

"Mr. Kuznetsov, sir, these faxes just arrived," he said and placed a thick stack of them in his outstretched hand. Vitaly waited for instruction but knew what was next.

"This is unbelievable...preposterous...Russell Edgington, alive? More vampires abducted..." Andrej was breezing through them all in rapid succession, speaking more to himself than to Vitaly, who already knew the implications of what the missives pertained to. "Vitaly, raise the Magister...I will collect King Bill and Mr. Northman—the conference room, of course." Vitaly hurried away with a bow of his head.

* * *

><p>The four vampires sat at the conference table, Vitaly in attendance taking notes from a chair in the corner of the room.<p>

"Gentlemen, please explain to us how it is that Russell Edgington is still alive? We we assured that he was sentenced to the True Death over a year ago," Magister Kosciuszko began, trying hard to maintain his composure.

Bill and Eric both looked uneasy.

"Well?" the Magister demanded angrily, his composure officially gone from him.

"He was sentenced, Magister, and it was carried out," Eric began carefully.

"I respectfully ask, Eric, how was this carried out if he is, indeed, still alive?" There was no reproach in Andrej's voice.

"He escaped us," Eric lied. Bill did not look at Eric, did not move a muscle at all.

"Escaped you? I do not understand," the Magister said, as he shook his head in confusion.

"We silvered him and took him out into the sun—I took him out into the sun. I was so affected by his actions that I committed myself to die with him."

That had been the truth.

"But my human at the time—she is vampire now—came out and retrieved me and then helped me to my coffin."

That was a lie. Eric told it with ease and conviction.

"You know how old he is—I'm afraid I overestimated the power of the sun."

Bill had managed to hold it together fairly well, but that statement almost made him choke.

"Overestimated the power of the sun?" the Magister repeated incredulously. "King Bill, is this the truth?" demanded the Magister.

"I'm afraid it is Magister," Bill said simply, his jaw clenched tightly. It was one thing to have been a part of the whole fiasco and to have kept the truth from Nan, who had indeed left it up to the both of them, albeit unofficially. It was another thing completely to hear Eric lie to these good people and for Bill to be complicit in it.

"So he's been out, loosed upon the world and no one has looked for him? Not even reported that the death sentence was not fully carried out? And Nan Flanagan hasn't called for your heads on a platter? This is an outrage, gentlemen, an outrage! And at this hour in the blasted daytime, no less. I shall bid you all good morning." The Magister rose from the table, then, furious beyond further words and stormed out of the room.

Andrej looked at the two across the table from him and had only a kind, genuine smile for them both. The Magister would never have accused them outright of lying. But everyone in that room had known their little story was suspicious and stank to high heaven. And while Andrej had felt for them in their uneasy predicament he was ashamed to admit to himself that all he had really been able to think about was Eric's kiss upon his lips, and the private moment they had not had the opportunity to share.

"Gentlemen, he is right on one point...the bleeds are a bitch. I shall bid you good morning, as well. We will have all evening to iron this out."

"All due respect, Andrej, but we are focusing on the wrong aspect of this problem. There are things we need to do, resources we need to avail ourselves of," Bill said calmly, but screaming inside at the thought of Tara, Jessica and Sookie locked away and facing torture at the hands of their arch nemesis.

"And you may avail yourself of anything that you need, King Bill. Vitaly will assist you. My comment was not meant as a reprimand or a judgment, please know that. But I can tell you quite honestly any help that you need I will be better able to render after sundown."

"Thank you for that, and I will ask Vitaly for assistance." Bill looked to Vitaly who stood up from his chair and awaited instruction.

"I know circumstances are dire, and I can understand the pain you surely feel being so far away right now. But at least we know where they are and your own people will be right back on task as soon as the sun goes down, as well—I am confident that they can be rescued in time. I shall see you this evening. Good morning." Andrej rose from his seat and and left them.

"Vitaly, can you possibly help me compile a list of scientists who have been affiliated with this DuPont facility?"

"Yes, King Bill. I read these documents and I have a resource here that can help me with that. Based on what these documents reveal, there are quite a few avenues I can explore and I'll be happy to do it. If I may humbly suggest?"

"Yes?"

"Please go and get some rest, sir? I know what to look for and I'm sure that I will have something for you this evening...let me do the leg work for you sir," Vitaly asked in earnest.

"I greatly appreciate that, Vitaly, thank you."

"Mr. Northman, do you have any requests, sir?"

"No, thank you, Vitaly. Thank you for you assistance, you are most kind."

"My pleasure, sir," he said as he bowed to them both and then left for Andrej's office.

"I'm surprised at how calm you are, Eric."

"I'm not calm, at all. I want to go home."

"As do I."

"Thank you for not—"

"Don't say it, not here. I need more rest. See you in a few hours."

"Until this evening, then."

And then they parted.


	29. Useless Until

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 29 Useless Until

Even though Bill was weak and exhausted from the onset of the bleeds and needed to get some rest, he was too distraught to even try it. He had no choice but to suffer through and convinced himself that he had the night to look forward to for rejuvenation and a proper meal. Besides, as well as everything else weighing heavily on his mind, there was another difficult thing he needed to do. He went to the phone on the desk in his cubby and dialed home. Before one ring had completed a guard picked on the other end.

"King Bill, are you alright?" came the concerned guard's voice.

"Yes, thank you. Is Lafayette Reynolds there?"

"Yes, sir, one moment..." and within seconds Lafayette's broken voice came through the line.

"Bill, I'm losin' mah fuckin' mind up in this bitch...tell me somethin', man—tell me you have a plan. Tell me you know where they are, God dammit, and I'm the fuck up outta here..." he said frantically.

"We know where they are, Lafayette, but I will not tell you because I know you will go there and it is not safe for you to do such a thing. Nan Flanagan has already assembled an assault team, we are having a global teleconference tonight, sundown your time..."

"I don't give a fuck about some fuckin' meetin', Bill. If you know where the fuck they are..." Lafayette railed at him.

"Lafayette, I suggest you calm the fuck down. You are no help to anyone like this right now—not me, yourself and especially not Tara." Bill's tone was not kind or forgiving and he could tell that it had effect on the anguished man on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry", Lafayette began after he had taken a deep breath.

"Good. Now listen to me: Tara, Jessica and Sookie have been abducted by Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin..."

Bill could almost hear Lafayette shaking his head in confusion through the phone, but what he actually heard was a series of gasps and stutters as he struggled to say anything.

"Newlin has been made vampire, you will get details later. He and Edgington are working together. Julian tracked down Sarah Newlin last night in Dallas. He, Nan Flanagan and Blackburn will present their strategy tonight for a rescue operation. Obviously they can not wait for Eric and I to return. But there are humans here that have been working with them, as well. Eric and I, and a team here, will be dispensing with them tonight."

"What time is it there?" Lafayette asked, trying to do the time change math in his head.

"It is almost three pm here."

"How is you even up? It's daytime..."

"Vampires can be awake in the day; as long as we are in an environment where no sunlight can penetrate we can function, just in a severely diminished capacity. We were roused because of this emergency, but I find it impossible to go back to sleep now."

"I understand completely, Bill. I'm sorry for goin' off...I knew somethin' was goin' down last night, the way Ginger shot out of Merlotte's after Tara came back from Sam's trailer...they must have had some bad feeling about Sookie cuz she and Jessica took off like..."

"Sam's trailer?" Bill cut him off abruptly.

"Yeah, Tara went back there to talk to him about something—then they got your call and all hell broke loose. That's what they came to Merlotte's for in the first place, looking for Sookie."

Through his grief and worry Bill found the feelings of anger that had plagued him after his last conversation with Tara welling up within him again. So, she had been with the shifter when he felt her, before he called—what had they been doing? What had caused that unbearable sense of sadness that had overtaken her and transcended miles and oceans to touch him, as well? Bill managed to sublimate his anger and focus his attention back to Lafayette.

"Do not worry yourself. Just please know that even though we are not there we are dealing with this, here and at home, around the clock. What I do need for you to do is stay at my house. I would also like to extend that offer to your mother and Jason, of course. I can have armed guards go and retrieve them right now and I believe you would all be safer there together. If you would do that for me I would be greatly relieved."

"Fuck, I forgot about Jason—he doesn't even know yet. And I think you're right—thank you, I would like to have my mother here," Lafayette said gratefully.

"Done." Bill had already given instructions to his security team to assist his guests with whatever they required before he left for Belarus. "Just tell them where to go. By the time our meeting is over tonight Eric and I will be preparing to go to ground again—you will be hearing from Julian and Blackburn when it is over and they will update you."

"Understood. Thank you, Bill."

"I am sorry, Lafeyette, about all of this, but I vow to you that we will get them all safely back to us. Failure to do so is _not _an option," Bill said, his voice filled with quiet rage as his thoughts turned back to Russell Edgington. "Until we speak again, Lafayette; gather our family. And be careful." Bill hung up.

He stood at the desk trying to regain his composure and enough strength to go see Vitaly and find out what kind of progress he had made.

* * *

><p>In his own cubby Eric was also still up, unable to rest. He sat on the edge of the settee in the small sitting room across from his sleep chamber, his fingertips at his temples; he tried to feel any sign of Sookie in his brain, but was confronted only with the cold, deafening silence of nothing. His face slid easily into his hands then, borne on the tide of the fresh slick blood tears streaming down his face as he sobbed quietly in frustration. When he dared to remove his hands to view the reality of the world again, he saw Godric standing before him; not Christ-like, all benevolent Godric in his ridiculous "On The Wings Of Angels" white kurta and churidars, but <em>his <em>Godric—his Maker of a thousand years before—vicious and wild, the embodiment—even by then—of a thousand years of pure evil.

"My child, I feel your pain. Isn't it beautiful to feel, again? Horrible and exquisite, all at once," he smiled at him sadly.

"You know, I was a much happier vampire before you grew a fucking conscience," Eric hissed at him bitterly.

"No, Eric, you are a much happier vampire, now. I know what you feel; it is a wonderful thing for beings such as ourselves to feel the warmth of human love. It is not a crime, my son; it is not a weakness to feel it or to give it. Your Sookie is an amazing human, and it is not her fae blood that makes her so. You know this to be true. She deserves your tears. And you deserve her love. If you never admit that to anyone else please admit it to yourself. Your existence depends on it," Godric spoke the words softly, his voice sounding like a cool breeze holding conversation with the leaves of a tree on a windy autumn night.

"No!" Eric shouted out angrily as he stood to face him. "This is _your_ fault. I spared Russell Edgington the True Death because of you and now Sookie's life hangs in the balance because of it!"

"I know you don't want to hear this, my son—no one ever does: what's done is done and there is a reason for all of it. You must trust in that. I _was_ wrong, Eric, to mold you as I did. But we all get the opportunity for another chance—I have had mine, and I embrace it. I strongly advise you to do the same. Everything, Eric, for a reason. Please trust in that," Godric said finally.

"Just go away, from me!" came Eric's tormented cry as he sank back down onto the settee and buried his face in his hands again.

"I'm sorry," came a muffled voice on the other side of the door to his cubby. Eric looked up, surprised. Godric was gone.

"Who's there?"

"Andrej. I thought I heard you shouting at someone—is everything alright?"

Eric went to the door and opened it to reveal his handsome comrade, looking concerned and on alert. "I'm fine, thank you," he said simply.

"May I come in?" Andrej dared to ask him, dabbing delicately at the blood coming from his ears with a handkerchief. Eric held the door open wider to allow him to pass. Once the door was closed Andrej was upon him, unable to hold off his desire any longer as he pulled Eric into his strong embrace.

"I'm afraid I have no shame where you are concerned," Andrej confessed, almost as tall as Eric and looking intently into his eyes. A hand went to Eric's cheek to caress a blood tear away. "I should like to kiss these away—will you let me?" he asked him softly.

"It's just the bleeds," Eric lied as he comported himself with more dignity.

When Eric had first met Andrej he had been intrigued immediately. And before the latest events had unfolded he had wanted just such a moment with him.

"I know my timing is horrible, with my Magister breathing down your neck and everything..." Andrej began apologetically, "but I want you, Eric," and he placed a sensuous kiss upon his lips, which for a moment Eric lost himself in.

"I cannot do this," Eric said as he disengaged himself from Andrej's embrace.

"I apologize if I have been too forward."

"It's not that, Andrej. I'm afraid I can't possibly be any good to you at this time. As much as I have tried to shake her from my being, there is a human who continues to haunt me. She is one of Russell Edgington's captives, you see. Until I make amends with her and until this situation is positively resolved I will be useless to anyone else." That was as honest as Eric dared to be with himself.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly use the word 'useless' if I were you," Andrej said as he stepped closer to Eric, his body just barely grazing him, "please accept my deepest apology, for I did not know. And by all means let us positively resolve _this _situation..." Andrej's sincere apology belied his seductive intent as he dropped his hand and gently traced the evidence of Eric's unwitting arousal.

Eric allowed his touch without anger or reprimand. _Under any other circumstances..._Eric's eyes said. They gazed at each other one last time before Andrej left him, the understanding between them clear.

* * *

><p>Lafayette had been truly touched by Bill's offer to have Ruby Jean and Jason come and stay in his house. <em>"Our family,"<em> he had said. _Lawd Have Mercy_, he thought to himself, what a family they were. He needed to find Jason and break the news to him and got right on his cell phone. There was no answer at his house or on his cell phone. Lafayette dialed Sheriff Andy Bellefleur's cell number.

"Sheriff Bellefleur," came Andy's gruff greeting.

"Sheriff Andy, where is Jason?"

"Lafayette?"

"Yeah?"

"We sure could use you down here."

"Down where?"

"At Merlotte's. We got a call last night: a potential customer came here and found the place all closed down early and a racket going on inside the place like someone was gettin' murdered—it was Sam, wreckin' the place. We need all the help we can get—could you come down here and help us talk some sense into him?" Andy asked, frazzled and desperate. "I really don't want to haul him off, but if he keeps up the way he is I'm afraid he'll be headin' over to help keep your mother company. No offense, Lafayette," he apologized awkwardly.

"Yeah, whatever, I'm on my way," Lafayette said disgustedly and hung up. He asked two of the guards to take him over and they got in a security van and peeled out.

* * *

><p>When Lafayette got near to Merlotte's he asked the team to park a little ways out of sight.<p>

"I don't want everybody to know about this just, yet, I'm just here for Jason," he explained. The guards agreed and let him know that they appreciated his discretion. Lafayette ran up the lane and into the restaurant.

"Lafayette, thanks for coming," Andy greeted him.

"What the fuck happened?"

"We don't know, we thought maybe you could help shed some light. Terry says Sam was in a bad way when he let you all go early last night—what was that all about?"

"I swear I don't know. We were pretty fuckin' surprised, ourselves."

"That's what Terry said. We're tryin' to talk some sense into him. I'm retiring, Lafayette, put in for it three weeks ago. I wanted to have my going away and Kenya's promotion party here tonight."

"What? The fuck? Retiring?"

"Yep, I ain't been no good at this since my V addiction. I got a nice little retirement package—I don't want for anything and my grandmama has been comforted and pleased with all of us back in her house—she wants us all to stay. I'm doing well in AA—I'm a mentor now. I've found my calling and a way to really serve this community. I'm done with all of this. More than all of that, I need to get out of the way for Kenya. She really should have had this job when Sheriff Dearborne retired."

It was all too much for Lafayette to really process, but he gave Andy the appropriate congratulations and well wishes.

"Is Jason back there?"

"Yeah..."

"I _really_ need to talk to him, Andy." _Please don't ask me why...please don't ask me why_..Lafayette chanted to himself silently.

"Sure, hold on..." Andy disappeared to the back. Moments later Jason came out.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"Jason, come with me out side, now," Lafayette said as he grabbed his arm.

"Yo, what the fuck, Lafayette?"

"Just gets the fuck out here, already."

Once outside Lafayette held Jason by the shoulders and looked his old friend squarely in the eyes.

"Jason—Sookie, Tara and Jessica have been abducted by Russell Edgington and Steve fuckin' Newlin. I don't know where they are yet, but Vampire Bill, Eric and Nan Flanagan do. They got a shit load of vampires on the case here, in Shreveport, Dallas and Belarus."

Jason threw Lafayette's hands off of him in total shock and disbelief. He walked around in a circle and then kicked at the dust in the ground with his Bon Temps Sheriff's department-issued combat boots.

"What? The? Fuck? What?" Jason grabbed a handful of hair in both of his hands. "WHAT?" he screamed in anguish.

"Jason, lover, I feel you, but you gotta calm down, god dammit..."

"No, YOU fuckin' calm the fuck down. When did this happen?"

"Last night."

"AND YOU'RE JUST NOW TELLLING ME?"

"I just got all the details mah damn self not twenty fuckin' minutes ago, Jason. If you just get a fuckin' hold of yoself, I'll explain everything. Vampire Bill is offering his place up as a safe house for us all and wants you to come stay. I'm on my way to get Ruby Jean right now," Lafayette said as he pointed to the black security van down the lane. "Come with me now and I'll tell you everything I know."

"I need to let them know I'm leaving," he began still in shock and about to go back in to see Andy.

"Andy and Kenya got that, Jason. Kenya's gonna be Sheriff, now, let her do her thang."

"What, you heard about that already?

"Yes, from Andy two minutes ago. Now come on."

"They need to know I'm leavin' even if I don't tell 'em why..." Jason protested.

Lafayette took Jason's cell phone from the breast pocket of his shirt and held it up to his friend's face. "Finger, meet phone...now come the fuck on already..."


	30. Going Through

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 30 Going Through

Sookie awoke a few hours later, her throat parched, her head pounding but not as badly as before. She still found it difficult to open her eyes but she tried anyway and became aware of her eyelashes as they fluttered against...something, soft but tight and pressing on her eyelids. She realized suddenly that she was blindfolded. She tried to reach up and feel her eyes, her face, but only felt the pull of restraints as it became all too clear that she was bound to a table by her wrists, ankles and neck.

She heard nothing and no one stirring about. An air conditioner was on and all she felt was the cold air blowing across her skin. She couldn't even remember what she had on when she was snatched off of her front porch; she was so cold she couldn't tell if she was even dressed or not.

She tried to put her fear aside and think. She didn't know where she was or who had taken her but wherever she was she didn't want to die there. Then suddenly he came to her mind.

* * *

><p>By the time they arrived at the hospital Lafayette had told Jason everything that he knew, which wasn't enough information for either one of them. Jason sat dumb-founded. Somewhere in the world his sister, Tara and Jess were being held captive, suffering what God only knew. He followed Lafayette in to the hospital completely numb inside. As they passed random patients in the in the hallways that led to Ruby Jean's room Jason stared at their blank, slack faces and felt like he was home. He wondered how much life these poor people had lived; what abominations they had suffered; what cruelties the world may have heaped upon them in their younger more present years and thought that maybe losing one's memories in old age was a blessing instead of a curse. He had to try and snap out of that line of thinking. Still he couldn't help but to feel like he was home amongst his own and that, if things in Bon Temps didn't start changing for the better soon, he would be home amongst these people for real and he wouldn't be an old man when it happened.<p>

He hadn't seen Mrs. Reynolds in quite a number of years, but when they got to her room she looked better than he did remember. The woman was positively radiant and sitting in a chair looking as if she had been expecting them.

"LaLa! Jason Stackhouse! Both of you come over here and hug me," she said as she held out her open arms. She gathered them both up and hugged them tightly, as each man gave in to the strength and warmth of her embrace. Both of them began to cry, then, like little boys tired and over-wrought; she mothered them both, her soothing voice filled with love and understanding.

"My babies...it's gonna be alright—it's gonna be alright, I promise."

Lafayette was first to finally get a hold of himself and let her go, but Jason lingered in her embrace, feeling almost ashamed that he couldn't tear himself away.

"Don't you do that, Jason Stackhouse," she said firmly, "as many times as your dear grandmother was there to comfort my LaLa and Tara growing up? I'll hold you forever if that's what it takes to help you feel better, boy, and don't you forget it," she said as she stroked his hair. "You let go when you're ready and not a moment before."

Lafayette looked at his mother and was filled with such love for her he thought his heart was going to burst. She smiled at him and then motioned to the door behind him. When he turned and saw who was standing there anger filled his eyes and his smile turned to a sneer.

"No, LaLa, I had it wrong, all wrong," said Ruby Jean behind him, "he was trying to help me, not hurt me. Tell him, Jesus..." and she actually pronounced his name correctly.

"Ruby Jean is telling the truth, Lafayette. I'm back for good—I'm done with my grandfather's dark magic. I was stubborn and there were just some final lessons I had to learn for myself. I'm so glad I wasn't able to convince you to come with me—that was my journey, not yours. I'm glad I survived him. It's over. I hope you can forgive me, but I'll understand if you can't," he said finally, sadness in his voice from the full expectation that Lafayette would reject him.

Lafayette took a step back from him, and did a little dip as his hand shot to his heart.

"This is all too much. And there is just a boatload of shit goin' down right now...we'll talk...later. Right now I need to get my mother out of her and to Bill Compton's—is that gonna be a problem?" he said with a tilt of his head, one eyebrow cocked.

"Hell no, I'm going to help you. Just leave it me. You ready Ruby Jean?" Jesus asked her.

"I'm ready as soon as Jason is," she said softly.

* * *

><p>He sat in the classroom trying to drown out all the voices. He was in the remedial class but he knew that he wasn't stupid and his momma knew it, too. She just couldn't afford to send him anywhere better. But she reassured him all of the time that one day it would get better, that he wouldn't always be seven years old. He didn't really know what she meant by that but he hoped that it meant as he got older maybe he would stop being able to hear everyone's voices in his head.<p>

"Hunter Savoy, sit up right now, it is not time for Head on the Desk. Hunter!"

But Hunter did not hear his teacher at all. There was another voice in his head and it was different than all of the kids in his classroom; it wasn't his teacher or any other adult in the school.

_Hunter, I need you, baby...don't be scared, honey...it's your Aunt Sookie—remember when we met at the aquarium, honey? You told me you liked the blue fish, remember?"_

"I remember..." Hunter said in a whisper.

"_No, don't talk out loud, Honey..."_

"Alright, Hunter that's enough—to the office, now," came his teacher's stern disapproving voice as the other children laughed at him. He gathered his things to go.

"_Hunter, I need you to get a message to your momma...tell her that I'm alright and to call your Uncle Jason and tell him the same thing, do you understand?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Thank you, baby, thank you. I know I haven't seen you or talked to you in a long time, but I love you, Hunter. Thank you. Please don't forget that, okay?"_

"_Okay, I won't."_

"_And don't forget my message to your momma, okay Sweetie?"_

"_I won't."_

"_Thank you, Hunter."_

"_Your welcomed, Aunt Sookie."_

"Please call my momma," he said to Ms. Dunn, the office lady when he got there. "Please, I need to call my momma," he said urgently.

"Oh, we're calling your mother alright, Hunter Savoy. This is the third time this week you've been in here. Sit down, Little Mister, I'm calling her right now," said Ms. Dunn.

* * *

><p>It had been easy to get Ruby Jean out of the hospital. Jesus had simply forged her doctor's name on a thirty-day release slip. He had assured Lafayette that it wouldn't be a problem, especially since he'd been helping Ruby Jean to get off of the many unnecessary drugs she had been prescribed. With his dearth of knowledge Jesus had replaced all the bad drugs with natural healing herbs and other holistic medicines and had introduced Ruby Jean to Hatha yoga, as well. She was down to to only two prescribed drugs and he had managed to cut the dosages of those by half, and all under the noses of the doctors, who didn't really give damn about the majority of the patients in their "care".<p>

Jesus had assured Lafayette that when his shift was over he would come straight to Bill Compton's house and wait with him for word from the vampires in Shreveport later that evening.

* * *

><p>Throughout all of her wanderings and dubious adventures, home base always ended up being somewhere in Florida for Hadley Hale. This time it was Tampa. She had found herself a decent enough job as a clerk in an insurance company which paid enough for her to keep a roof over her and Hunter's head and maintain her bills, but she was by no means living a life of luxury. It was a boring life, but it was safe. For the most part.<p>

On that particular morning she hadn't been at work even three good hours when she got the call from Hunter's school. She went immediately to her boss to ask if she could take vacation for the rest of the day off knowing that he would okay it. He was a handsome older man and had hired Hadley strictly based on youth and beauty and everyone knew it. She really was a conscientious worker but it mattered little to her jealous co-workers. Her boss was just waiting for the right opportunity to make his move on her and everybody knew that, too. But he was married, of course. Even if he hadn't been Hadley knew better than to seriously entertain the notion, especially because she was attracted to him. The only favors she ever asked of him were ones such as the one she was about to ask for then and always related to Hunter, who was having a difficult time of his own adjusting to school and living with his special ability.

Her boss approved her request and took her time slip with a smile, revelling in the anticipation that one day he would call in a favor of his own and she would have to pay up. The waiting game only stoked his desire for her all the more. The look he gave her as she handed him her time slip only reaffirmed that she must continue her other full-time activity of looking for another job. She thanked him and got the hell out, pushing all of that to the back of her mind as she worried over what was going on with her precious baby boy.

* * *

><p>When Lafayette, Ruby Jean and Jason arrived at Bill's house it was almost noon. There had been a horrible accident on the highway that had tied up traffic for a time and with great relief they exited the van anxious to just get inside, go somewhere and decompress. It was a long time to seven pm. Lafayette took them to the private drawing room where the staff had refreshments waiting for them.<p>

"Lafayette, I will be back tonight, but I need to get back to work. Sitting around here with nothing to do will just drive me crazy," Jason told him honestly.

"I feel you, Jason. Do what you gotta and just get yoself back here safe."

"I will."

Jason went to Ruby Jean and gave her a warm bear hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds," he said with great affection.

"Boy, by now you know you need to call me Ruby Jean..."

"Yes ma'am...Ruby Jean. I'll see you both later."

"Bye-bye, baby," she said after she kissed his cheek.

* * *

><p>It had taken some time but Sam had finally convinced Andy Bellefleur that he was alright and that he and Kenya Jones should really concentrate their efforts elsewhere on something more important.<p>

"Look, I was a little upset, a lot drunk and had it in my head that a little re-modeling was in order, that's all."

Andy and Kenya looked at one another, neither one amused or buying in to his weak explanation.

"If I had known that you two wanted to throw a party I would have waited another night, I swear it."

"That's not funny, Sam," Andy said gruffly.

"Look, guys, if you want to you can still do it—it's only the kitchen that's fu—uh, under renovation. The dining area is fine, the bar is intact. We could cater some food—my treat. How about that?"

Kenya's face lit up, which was all the confirmation Sam needed.

"Okay then, that's settled. I promise to be on my best behavior. And Kenya," he took her in his arms and gave her a big kiss on her cheek, "congratulations, darlin', I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you, Sam. Are you sure you're—"

"I'm fine, really. Thank you both, now go on, I have a lot to do to get ready for tonight."

With that Andy and Kenya reluctantly left, hoping that Sam really was alright, both of them looking forward to later that evening.

Sam went to the bar and grabbed a bottle of tequila. As he was about to take a long gulp a figure appeared in the open doorway. He put the bottle down.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" he asked through narrowed eyes.

"Hi Sam. I've had you on my brain for a long time now. I just wanted to see you."

"Well, you've caught me at a really bad time."

"I can see that. What happened here?"

"I happened, here."

"Sam..."

"Luna, just go away."

"What's wrong?" she asked him, her concern for him real, her heart hurting for him even though she didn't know why. "You're angrier now at me more than when we broke up. What is it, Sam?"

"If you must know I got my heart ripped out last night, by someone I love deeply."

That caused Luna to shake her head in confusion.

"You met somebody else already, fell in love with someone else, already?"

"I was in love with her when I met you, I knew her before you."

"What?" Luna found her concern for him melting away as anger began to well up in her. "You were seeing her when..."

"No. She and I had broken up long before I met you."

"I didn't know..."

"Yeah, neither did I, until it was too late. Look, whatever you came here for is pointless."

"Well, at least tell me what happened?"

"No. that's my business."

"It's my business, too, Sam. I still love you."

Sam shook his head and then picked up the tequila bottle. "Here's to love," he sniffed disgustedly and then took a long drink.

"Sam, stop it. I love you."

"You used me! You used me to get rid of Marcus and you know it," he accused her. "My brother went to him, for me—for you, because of what he did, and almost got killed. And I didn't even know it before it was too late. And now he's gone—I don't even know where to begin to look for him. And it's all because of you."

"I did not! I always knew Marcus was going to come to a bad end. I'm just sorry that you were a part of it."

"Really? You treated me like I fuckin' killed him! Believe me, I woulda been happy to; I beat his ass and I was done with him, I'll never apologize for that. But the fuckin' coward was going to shoot me in the back and Alcide saved my life. So if it still bothers you then get the fuck outta here."

"Sam, we can work through this. We'll look for Tommy together..."

"Fuck you."

"Yes, why don't you?" she challenged him.

"What? Get the fuck out of here, Luna, I don't buy you as desperate," sneered at her.

"I'm not desperate. I love you, Sam. I made a mistake letting you go. I can admit that."

"Fucking you now is not the answer."

"Why not?"

"Don't you fucking understand that my heart is somewhere else!" he yelled at her. "If I even wanted to fuck you it would be meaningless. My heart is broken over someone else. My mind is not even on..."

"My heart is broken, too, Sam. They way I see it we're as perfect as ever for each other."

"You have absolutely lost your mind, Luna." He took another long drink.

Luna walked over to him behind the bar and took the bottle away from him, then took his hand into her own and kissed it. "I'm sorry for your pain, Sam. Can't you be even a little bit sorry for mine?" she asked him softly as she looked into his angry eyes.

"Really? You want 'sorry', Luna? I'll show you sorry..."

Sam threw her roughly against the counter and got behind her, unbuckling his pants with one hand as he lifted the hem of her short flimsy dress with the other to find her naked underneath it, her body arching into his, waiting for him, ready for him.

"Yes, Sam," she moaned as he yanked a handful of her hair at the nape of her neck, snapping her head back so that he could place an angry kiss upon her mouth.

"I'll show you sorry," he growled into her neck as he entered her at last.


	31. Admonitions

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 31 Admonitions

Hadley arrived at Hunter's school within a half hour of getting the call from Mrs. Dunn. When she got to the office she found her son seated in the tiny waiting area holding his composure but looking like he would lose it any minute. When he saw his mother he jumped up and ran into her arms as she kneeled to greet him.

"Hunter, baby? Are you alright? Are you sick? Honey?"

"Mrs. Savoy, Principal Ashton would like a word with you..." began Mrs. Dunn curtly.

"Mama, Aunt Sookie wants me to tell you that she's alright. She wants you to tell Uncle Jason the same thing. She was real nice but she sounded kinda scared," he whispered into his mother's ear.

Upon hearing her cousin's name issue from her son's lips all of the color drained from Hadley's face.

"You talked to her in your head, baby?" she whispered back to him.

"Yes, momma."

A shiver went through Hadley's soul. If Sookie was contacting Hunter she was most definitely not alright and whatever was going must have everything to do with vampires.

"Mrs. Savoy, did you hear what I said?" came Mrs. Dunn's condescending voice above them from over the counter. Hadley rose and angrily confronted her.

"Mrs. Dunn, I will not be available to see Mr. Ashton today. I'm taking my son home now." She turned on her heel, took Hunter's hand into her own and hurriedly marched out of the school with him.

"Momma?"

"It's alright, baby...I'm sorry I'm walking so fast, but just keep up with me..."

* * *

><p>Jason sat behind his desk at the Sheriff's office not quite knowing what to do with himself. Where on God's green earth could his sister be? And if Bill, Eric and Nan Flanagan knew, why wasn't someone there rescuing her already? He got up and paced his office angered at his helplessness and totally unhinged at the thought that two of the craziest fucks on the planet were working together and had not one, but three women he loved and cared about most in their clutches. He threw himself into his chair again behind his desk and began to weep in total frustration. Just then Andy Bellefleur knocked on his door and popped his head inside his office.<p>

"Good news, Jason, the party is on at Merlottte's tonight. Sam's gonna cater...what the hell?" he said as he took a good look at his friend. "Jason Stackhouse, what's the matter with you, boy?"

"It's not gonna be the same without you around, is all," he managed to answer. Jason really was going to miss Andy, but he couldn't bring himself to really tell Andy what was actually causing him to lose his mind.

"Well, damn, Jason. I really appreciate that, son," said Andy, who really was touched but taken a little aback by the intensity of Jason's feelings. "Uh, I'm gonna go, then. See you tonight—the party starts at seven-thirty." Andy gave Jason an awkward look and then left him. Just then Jason's cell phone rang.

"Hello? Hadley?" Jason was more than surprised to hear from his estranged cousin.

"Jason, what's going on with Sookie?"

"She's in trouble, Hadley. But I don't know where she is. It's a long fucking story..."

"Hunter is...Hunter got a message from her today—do you understand what I'm sayin'? He got a message from her in his head...she told him to tell you and me that she was alright—does that make any sense at all?"

"None. Hadley, Sookie's been abducted by Russell Edgington and another vampire so she can't possibly be alright."

"Maybe it was just her way of letting us know that she's at least alive?" suggested Hadley optimistically.

"Maybe...when did Hunter get her message?"

"It hasn't been a hour, yet. He was at school—I just picked him up...I don't know what to do, Jason."

"Where are you, anyway?"

"Tampa."

"Can you get a flight here? A bunch of us are staying at Bill Compton's place while this is going on, for protection. I really think you and Hunter need to be here, as well."

"I'm not coming to any vampire's house, Jason," she began frantically. "And even if I wanted to I don't have the money to get a flight like that on such short notice."

"Hadley, I'm not gonna argue with you about this—if you don't want to stay at Bill's after you've heard everything I have to tell you then you can stay at my house. I'll book the flight for you and Hunter—you just get to the airport and pick up the tickets. I'll call you right back."

Jason booked the flight for his cousin and nephew and called her within fifteen minutes with the information.

"Hadley, the next fight out is at five forty-five. You land at nine-thirty—I'll be there to pick you up."

"Alright, Jason. See you tonight."

When they hung up Jason called Lafayette as he headed to his truck.

* * *

><p>Bill, Andrej and Eric had all fed on donors and were rejuvenating quite nicely by the time they met in the conference room a half hour after sundown to begin pouring over dossiers that Vitaly Makarov had compiled earlier that day. In all there were seventeen scientists who had been approached and signed on to aid Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin in their plan to obtain an antidote to the sun. Eight of them had been recruited from various points in Europe and India; four of those were currently in Minsk on that very night. The rest were in the United States and probably housed in the compound under Six Flags in New Orleans. Amongst the many missives and directives that had come from the Authority over the past forty-eight hours was one from Dr. Ludwig, whose report clearly recommended a Thorough Cleanse procedure be performed when all perpetrators were identified. The recommendation had been approved by the Authority and was a direct sanction for Bill, Eric and the WVF to eliminate the European parties involved immediately.<p>

Shashen'Ka arrived as her three comrades were mapping the whereabouts of the four scientists there in the city.

"Good evening, gentlemen. By the look of things you have made some great progress," she smiled at them all.

"We have Mr. Makarov to thank for that," Bill looked gratefully over at Vitaly and bowed his head in thanks. There are four humans we can eliminate tonight. The next task is to identify all parties that had any affiliation with them whatsoever regarding their research, no matter how minor, and wipe them out, as well."

"Sounds like a fun evening to me. Just point me in the right direction," she said as she walked over to the conference table that was heaping with dossiers, maps, photographs and other intelligence.

"I think with Shashen'Ka's assistance you won't be needing me, gentlemen? I must contact WVF liaisons in Prague, Mumbai and Sweden to arrange similar operations," Andrej informed them with a smile on his face as he looked at Eric.

"Agreed," Eric said simply, ignoring Andrej's subtle flirtation.

At Vitaly's post in the corner of the room a call came in.

"King Bill, it's for you...Lafayette Reynolds," he informed him as Bill walked over to him and took the receiver. From the conference table Eric looked up, his eyes following Bill as he went to the phone.

"Lafayette?"

"Bill, Sookie just contacted her nephew, Hunter Savoy, telepathically less than an hour ago with a message that she was alright," said Lafayette frantically. "Jason is flying Hadley and Hunter in tonight from Tampa. I ain't believin' that she's alright, Bill..."

"Nor am I, Lafayette, but at least we know that she is alive. Maybe that is the main message she wanted to convey. Have Jason bring them to my home when they arrive."

"He kinda took that liberty already," Lafayette said nervously.

"It is fine, Lafayette, I am glad that he did. Let me know if any other messages are received. And thank you." Bill hung up.

Eric approached Bill with vampire speed. "Sookie?"

"Yes. She sent a message through her telepathic nephew that she is alright."

Eric felt a small sense of something that he couldn't quite identify. "She meant 'alive'—she didn't want to frighten the boy..."

"Yes, I believe that you are right. The boy and his mother are en route to Bon Temps as we speak."

Eric didn't need to upset Bill by asking if there was any news of Tara or Jessica; had there been any Sookie would have mentioned them. Whatever was going on the women were not aware of each others existence in the compound yet. But at least Sookie was alive and Eric remained hopeful that he would have the positive resolution he was seeking in the whole ordeal. He was ready to rip the spines out of as many humans as was necessary and looking forward to making the report to the Authority later that night.

"Bill, Shashen'Ka—I'm in the mood for blood. Lots of blood. Shall we go?" he growled through his bared fangs.

* * *

><p>Sookie had drifted in and out of consciousness all day. She was still bound upon the hard table but now she noted that several intravenous drip bags were suspended above her and their lines were connected to both of her arms. She was still alone in the room and had lost all sense of time. She didn't know if it was night or day and had no idea how long she had been held captive. At least her throat didn't feel as parched as it had before and that hellatious headache was gone. Suddenly she heard the faint sound of footsteps that became more distinct as they grew closer. She couldn't tell from where they originated and could only guess that they would lead to her, but she saw no doors in the room and had no idea how whomever it was would materialize before her. She became aware then that the foot steps had stopped. Then she heard a familiar voice...<p>

"Wait for it...wait for it...Ta Da!" he began laughing maniacally and then Russell Edgington burst through a slit in the wall, slid across the floor on his knees, stopped within her eyesight from up on the table and waved an exuberant display of jazz hands at her.

Sookie turned her head away from him, to weak to tell him to go to hell as she really wanted to do.

"Oh, come on now, Miss Stackhouse, where's your sense of humor, darlin'?" he stood up and approached her on the table, took her chin in his hand and then turned her face back towards him gently. He smiled down at her only to have his gaze met by pure hatred and contempt in hers. "Sookie, really, I care nothing at all about your hatred towards me. I can assure you of that. You all made a spectacular mistake when you didn't render the True Death upon me," he said as smiled crazily at her. "What was that all about, anyway? Colossal mistake, indeed. Do you remember what I told you when last we met? You know, about ripping you open and feeding your entrails to you? Oh, that's good! I see that you _do_ remember!" Russell leaned his face closer to Sookie's, gritted his teeth and dropped his voice to a menacing whisper. "You are only days away from that reality, you little cunt. Just in case you didn't know it."

Russell straightened himself up to a standing position again and harrumphed at her. "Speaking of which—your little cunt, that is—has provided a much needed aside to my wonderful team of scientists and the serious work they've been doing here. Personally, I don't understand why anyone, human or vampire bothers to waste an erection on you, but I guess that's neither here nor there at this point. Oh, now that's nice...that's what I've been looking for from you, finally! That look of total horror and recognition upon your smug face. Oh, I love it! Don't move, I must get a picture of that..." he said as he produced a cell phone from his pocket. "Yes, you've been lying here for days naked and available...let me see...zoom off, resolution 320 by 240—so much better for texting, you know?" he said as he adjusted his camera settings. "Uh, yes, you've been lying here naked and available for the collection of blood and tissue samples—and what not. I believe in offering my employees—perks—so that they'll come to work eagerly, ready to do the best _job_ they possibly can. Nothing like fresh THO in the morning, eh, Miss Stackhouse? So much better than coffee, I think," he said cheerfully as he snapped several photos of her.

Sookie only glared at him then and turned away. She didn't know why her vocal cords were frozen in her throat but she vowed to herself that it would be Russell who would have _his_ entrails fed to him before it was all over.

"You know, Miss Stackhouse, I like you so much better like this..." he said as he motioned to her with a flourish of his hand, "...bound and silent. You're so full of our special cocktail right now that you're lucky you can even open your eyes and see, let alone think a coherent thought. I would have given you a small pass, at least spared you a lot of the humiliation you've gone through these last few days and will go through before this is all over...but, you took the remains of the love of my life AND POURED HIM DOWN A FUCKING GARBAGE DISPOSAL!" he roared at her viciously.

On the table Sookie flinched at his outburst.

"And don't you even want to know how I got to this point, here, with you? Oh, that's right, you can't talk," he said delightfully and clapped his hands together. "Well, you can thank Antonia Gavilán de Logroño for that, my dear. Of course, I didn't know what was happening at the time, but I found out later. I was amazed that there was enough strength in my desiccated body to move at all, let alone push through God only knows how many tons of concrete. That's what saved me from the sun, you know—all of that concrete melded to my near non-existent body. I lumbered out of the parking garage and in to the full light of day and willed myself to rise to the heavens, looking for any location I could take refuge in. And imagine my surprise when I came in like a missile and crashed into the old Fellowship of the Sun church! Ha!

"By the way, do you know, my little cold naked one, what an ordeal it is to strip cement from your body? Each chunk meant that I had to rip all of my skin off, darlin'—I had to flay myself. Why, flaying unruly slaves was something I used to do for fun back in Rome," he snorted indignantly. "It was quite unpleasant, my dear.

"And as I stole away to the deepest bowels of the church looking for refuge away from the sun, who should I find but none other than Steve Newlin himself ? Newly made a vampire and abandoned by his maker, in a frenzy and a rage and back in Shreveport on one of his many trips from New Orleans to scavenge his own church for whatever he thought he needed. He had already begun building this place, you see, already had visions of revenge dancing about in his head. Of course, I terrified the holy fuck out of him but once he calmed down and truly realized who I was and that I shared his desire to make all of you bastards pay for what you'd done to me—well, let's just say we were a match made in hell."

Just then two men in lab coats came through the same seam in the wall where Russell had earlier and approached her on the table with clipboards in their hands.

"Gentlemen! Good evening. Time for the next round of experiments, I see." The men said nothing, only nodded at him. "I think you'll have an even better time with her tonight after you've finished with your work. Look at her—isn't she lovely? And conscious, no less! Yes, good times, indeed," he told them as he smirked at Sookie.

One of the men checked her drips and took down some notes as the other set his clipboard on the table and placed his hand on her thigh and traced her body slowly with it, up past her hip, her torso and then took her firm, pert breast in hand and massaged her nipple to hardness before he clamped his mouth down on her to suckle at it as he moved his other hand to her other breast and fondled it roughly. Sookie squirmed violently under his touch and tried to scream, but no sound would come from her.

"Say hello to Dr. Carter, dear, our staff biochemist," said Russell with great amusement in his voice.

The other man set down his clipboard then and pulled Sookie's legs apart enough to give her inner thighs a hard massage and then lowered his mouth upon her to give her pussy a deep, vicious kiss with his anxious probing tongue.

"And that, my dear, is Dr. Tomlin, immunologist and geneticist extraordinaire. Enjoy your perks this evening, gentlemen. The rest of the team will arrive shortly. I'm off to my other two charges." With that Russell left them.

Sookie lay on the table helpless and more than frustrated with her body's inability to obey her commands to struggle against the perverts assaulting it. She had heard too many disturbing things and she was still trying to sort it all out. Had Russell actually said more "team" members were coming? And who were his other two charges? She tried to listen in on the men but got nothing. It seemed as if all of her abilities had left her. Tears were streaming down her face, her fear palpable to the two men who were becoming more aroused by the moment. If only she could get her hands free, for even a moment...would it even work anymore? She had to believe that it would; she had to believe that she'd only been temporarily robbed of her powers—she had gotten through to Hunter, after all. Yes, she had to believe in herself and prayed for her powers to return...they had to return to her...

* * *

><p>"This meeting between the the Authority, the American Vampire League and the World Vampire Federation is now in session," came a computerized voice from the screens before them.<p>

At Isabel's nest in Dallas, Fangtasia in Shreveport, Kalvaryja in Minsk and various vampire hubs throughout the globe satellites were picking up the closed circuit transmission coming from the undisclosed location of the Authority's headquarters.

Each Authority delegate was represented by their silhouette issuing forth from its own laptop monitor.

"This meeting will now come to order," came a female delegate's voice from her monitor. "We are here to address the issue of Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin, vampires. The Authority recognizes Nan Flanagan, United States AVL, who will now give her report." Nan's visage replaced that of the Authority delegate.

"Thank you, esteemed Delegates and invitees. Over the past several months it has come to our attention that Russell Edgington, former King of Mississippi, U. S., survived his sentence of the True Death by managing to escape from Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five. Since the time of his escape he has joined forces with newly made vampire, Steve Newlin, former head of the Fellowship of the Sun church and anti-vampire vigilante organization. We have learned that their goal is to create an antidote to the sun, whereby it will be possible to become day walkers.

"Upon the worldwide recruitment of over a dozen leading scientists specializing in biochemistry, genetics, and forensic sciences, to name a few, these two renegade vampires embarked on a plan to abduct vampires for study and synthesization with a view towards creating the aforementioned antidote. They were successful in abducting two vampires almost two weeks ago, now, but one died during the attempt to escape and the other survived to alert the Authority. Since that time Edgington and Newlin have abducted two more vampires and one human/fae hybrid in hopes that they will unlock the key to make their antidote a reality. We know their location and are prepared to mount a rescue and neutralization campaign.

"An initial investigation and report from esteemed Friend of the Authority, Dr. Patricia Ludwig, has ascertained that the production thus far of compounds currently created combined with the introduction of the final elements necessary to make this antidote a reality are on the verge of discovery and must, under no circumstances, be allowed to introduced into the vampire population at large. Based on her educated observations Dr. Ludwig cautions that the flip-side to antidote to the sun is what nuclear meltdown is to nuclear powered "clean" energy. It is Dr. Ludwig's recommendation that any and all research materials, samples, laboratory findings, inventory and all other related materials be destroyed. Further, that all parties involved in the study, implementation and any and all other related activities pertaining to its implementation be thoroughly cleansed from existence. This action has been sanctioned by the Authority."

A male delegate's monitor came into view. "Do we have any questions from the floor? Please enter into the record that there were no questions from the floor. We have a report for consideration. The Authority recognizes Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five."

"Esteemed Delegates and Invitees, based on the Authority's sanction of the Thorough Cleanse procedure we are happy to report that four of the human European scientists involved in this endeavor and all of their related collaborators have been eliminated. The written report was submitted to the Authority at two am, Belarus time. We have also had confirmation from operatives in Sweden, Mumbai and Prague that they have also had success in the elimination of four more human scientists and their affiliates."

Another female delegate's monitor came in to view. "Please enter into the record that Belarus has been thoroughly cleansed and reports submitted. Sweden, please confirm your status..." the delegate's silhouette listens into her headpiece. "Please enter into the records that Sweden has been thoroughly cleansed, reports pending submission. Mumbai, please confirm your status...please enter into the record that Mumbai has been thoroughly cleansed, reports submitted. Prague, please confirm your status...please enter into the record that Prague has been thoroughly cleansed, reports pending submission. Thank you, all."

Yet another male delegate's monitor comes in to view. "We have received a charge of Treason against Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five; King Bill Compton, U. S., Louisiana; Sheriff Isabella Beaumont, U. S. Area Nine; and Nan Flanagan, United States AVL. The Delegation recognizes Magister Yuriya Kosciuszko, Belarus. Magister Kosciuszko, please state your case."

"Esteemed Delegates and Invitees, we, the WVF and the AVL, were told over a year ago the Russell Edgington had been sentenced to and met the True Death. Not only was that a blatant lie, Sheriff Northman and King Compton discovered immediately that Edgington "escaped" their efforts. Not only did they not seek him out, they also did not notify their superiors or the global vampire community that Edgington was still very much at large. It is my contention that the complete lack of competency employed them, as well as Nan Flanagan for her lack of accountability in this situation, should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws.

As to Isabella Beaumont it is our understanding that her human, Hugo Ayers, was directly responsible in his collusion with Steve Newlin for the abduction of former Area Nine Sheriff, Godric and that her unthinkable action of making Steve Newlin vampire is completely irresponsible and inexcusable. We humbly submit that she be put on trial and considered for sentencing to the True Death for her treasonous activities regarding: Fraternization with the Enemy, Irresponsible Human Pet Handling and Third Degree Incompetence as a Maker."

"Thank you, Magister Kosciuszko. The charges you have leveled are serious and do warrant investigation. Please enter into the record the charges of Treason against Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five; King Bill Compton, U. S., Louisiana; Sheriff Isabella Beaumont, U. S. Area Nine; and Nan Flanagan, United States AVL. A trial will be held forty-eight hours from this evening. Sheriff Northman, do you wish to give a rebuttal at this time?"

"I humbly ask to state my case in full at trial, which is my right," answered Eric calmly.

"Duly Noted. King Compton, do you wish to give a rebuttal at this time?"

"I humbly ask to state my case in full at trial, which is my right," answered Bill, careful to show no emotion.

"Duly noted. Nan Flanagan, do you wish to give a rebuttal at this time?"

Nan looked hot and perturbed, highly upset that her competency was being called into question, especially in light of the progress that had been made in such a short period of time.

"I humbly ask to state my case in full at trial, which is my right," came her terse reply.

"Duly noted. Please enter into the record that trial will commence in forty-eight hours with all parties present at eight pm, Louisiana time with final dispositions to be rendered against the afore-mentioned parties and Sarah Newlin, human and ex-wife of Steve Newlin.

"It is the expectation of the Authority that the threat of Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin be eliminated within the next forty-eight hour period and all U. S. collaborators be thoroughly cleansed within same time period. Failure to do so successfully will result in a sentence of the True Death to be rendered upon Sheriff Eric Northman, King Bill Compton and U. S. AVL representative Nan Flanagan. Thank you all for your time and attention. This meeting is now adjourned." Then all of the monitors went black.

* * *

><p>At Kalvaryja Bill and Eric looked at each other across the conference table knowingly before they shot their angry gazes at Magister Kosciuszko.<p>

"Your work here is done, gentlemen. I'm sure you would like to pack your things and head for a transport plane now," he said to them both, coolly, unaffected by the daggers they were shooting him. He rose to go.

"Yuriya, really, must you be such a bastard?" asked Andrej, a scowl on his own face.

"Take care, Andrej, your cock is showing. Maybe you will finally get a piece of the tall one before he heads to his doom," the Magister sneered at him.

Shashen'Ka and Vitaly sat looking quite uncomfortable in their seats, but were angered, as well.

"You go too far, Yuriya—do not propose to take me where you are trying to go...you will find that I will meet you," he stood to face him as he bared his fangs through a snarl.

The Magister said nothing more as he left them all, unfazed by their contempt.

"He does not speak for us," said Shashen'Ka then as she rose to go to them. Vitaly also rose from his chair and humbly approached them, nodding his agreement with her. "It has been an honor to meet you and get to know you both. I am confident that you will both emerge from this whole ordeal triumphantly. And when you do I will be the first one here to spit in his face," she said defiantly.

"Most definitely, my friends. I look forward to you coming back to visit us, with your lovely ladies in tow and we will celebrate like no one has ever dared to celebrate before," said Andrej.

Eric looked at Andrej and realized the great affection he felt for his new friend and it surprised him. "Thank you all," he said simply.

"I humbly submit sirs and my Lady, there is only one thing he was right about—I am sure you wish to get back to your loved ones and rescue them from the clutches of those two maniacs. I shall make the arrangements and get you packed," said Vitaly, who gave them all a bow and left them to go and do exactly that.

* * *

><p>At Isabel's Blackburn, Julian Cromwell and Sarah Newlin sat staring that the blank screens in shock.<p>

"What do they mean about a trial to render my disposition? I tried to help!" she began to sob.

"Look, old girl, do get a grip on yourself. I'm sure they will take that into consideration," said Julian gently. He was more concerned about King Bill and Eric.

"Yes, we have other matters to attend to. We need to get her," Blackburn motioned with his head to the one upstairs still recovering from her crippling injuries, "to Shreveport and ourselves to New Orleans. I'm sure Nan is livid, right about now."

* * *

><p>At Fangtasia Nan Flanagan was more than livid. She was pacing the room cursing a blue streak, knocking over chairs and tables in a rage.<p>

"Nan!" Chow barked at her. "Get a fucking hold of yourself. We don't have any time to waste—we've got to get to New Orleans and prepare to storm the complex. Come on, back on task. It's going to be alright."

Behind the counter at the bar Ginger was beginning to make phone calls. She had to call Eric first and then she would call the crew at King Bill's house anxiously awaiting word from anyone.


	32. Power From The Mother

I don't own anything from Spells of Magic com

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 32 Power From The Mother

Everything was on fire and screams filled the night air. The cell was dark and there was no moonlight streaming from the strange narrow window high up on the wall which told her it was still very early evening; that her eyes had shot open suddenly told her it was very early evening, but then, she didn't quite remember her eyes shooting open as much as becoming aware suddenly of the darkness surrounding her. She felt everything and nothing; intense pain throughout her body yet a curious detachment from it. She thought the screaming was coming from the one that lay across from her on the floor, but as the night brought on the slow healing she realized the screams she'd heard the loudest were her own.

As she tried to calm herself down, her eyes became more accustomed to the darkness and she could see keenly that the smoldering lump of charred flesh next to her was Jessica.

"Essca..." Tara croaked through her missing mouth, but she could only hear Jessica moan her feeble reply.

Suddenly the room was awash in fluorescent light and both women looked in horror upon full view of each other.

"Ladies! Glad you could finally join us!" said Russell exuberantly as he looked from one to the other of the severely burned women behind the cell bars as they shot their bloodshot orbs at him. "Steve, I must tell you, that is a horrible, horrible feeling—I know it all to well...been there done that!" he laughed crazily.

Steve Newlin stood next to his crazed vampire accomplice, smiling through his shock. He didn't know what the two fried females had ever done to Edgington, but the only vampire he wished such a fate upon was Isabel for making him and then leaving him to die.

"Oh, I see you're a tad confused, Steve. Well, don't you trouble your pretty little head one moment longer. Our roasted Dark Beauty is Bill Compton's consort, you see, and a witch! Our boys in the lab have been having quite a lot of fun with _her_ blood, let me tell you. And the fiery red-head—pardon the pun—is Bill's little girl. Hey there, sweetums," he waved his fingers at her. "They're using her blood as a control...yes. And of course, you know what Ms. Stackhouse brings to the table. It's all going very well, indeed. You ladies are healing quite nicely, considering. I'm sure you're both starving, but I'm afraid I can't do anything about that. But you should heal up just in time to feel the burn of the sun in the morning and start the whole lovely process again. I promise that you'll only have to endure a couple of more days—if you can survive it, that is, without any sustenance. It's just more fun for me, that's all."

Tara tried to absorb what she thought she just heard—did he say that Sookie was somewhere in this hell hole? Immediately she sent out her thoughts to her, hoping that she could hear, hoping that she was alive and well enough to hear.

"Shall I go check on Sookie, Russell?" Steve asked, anxious to be out of the dungeon and away from the acrid smell of burnt flesh.

"No, Ms. Stackhouse is otherwise engaged and in the capable hands of our scientific team. What you can do is take your lovely self upstairs and go funnel some more money out of one of your off-shore accounts so that we can fund the next step of our joint endeavor, here." Russell turned to Steve and straightened the lapel of his jacket, then gave him a conspiratorial pat upon his chest. "Go on now. And after you do that have the kitchen staff whip us up a couple of those heavenly blood sorbets and I'll be up to join you."

"Okay, then," Steve said trying not to sound as relieved as he felt and then left them.

"Well, ladies, I'd like to stay and chit-chat, but I do have other pressing matters to attend to. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves...when your lips regenerate, that is. Ha!" Russell left them then, laughing like the maniac that he was.

Tara looked frantically at Jessica, trying to form the words with her lips to send her thoughts to Sookie.

"Essca, end ots ookie, end ots ookie!"

Jessica could only make out that she was trying to tell her something about Sookie but the confused look on her face only frustrated Tara more. Tara concentrated all of her energy on sending out her mental SOS to her friend and hoped to God that Sookie could hear her.

* * *

><p>Eric and Bill said their goodbyes to Andrej, Shashen'Ka and Vitaly at Kalvaryja and by six a.m. their coffins were being loaded into the private Boeing 757 Anubis air jet for the return trip home.<p>

* * *

><p>"Shit," said Lafayette when he hung up the phone after talking with Ginger. He and Jason, Jesus and his mother were all assembled in the private drawing room.<p>

"Well, what?" asked Jason, the veins on the sides of his temples pulsing visibly. "C'mon, man, I've got to get to Shreveport to pick up Hadley and Hunter."

"Everybody, sit down and listen," Lafayette directed them all. "They're all headed to New Orleans. Ginger still didn't tell me exactly where, but that's where Tara, Sook and Jessica are. They're transporting a whole vampire SWAT team right now. Ginger said Bill and Eric will be leaving Belarus in a couple of hours and they's in a shitload of trouble for letting Russell Edgington get away the first time. If they don't handle this successfully in the next forty-eight hours...well, I don't know what all, but it ain't good," he told them all, looking worried and confused.

"Alright, everybody, stay calm," came Ruby Jean's soothing voice as she approached them all. She wrapped her arms around her son who began to cry. "Jason, go on now and get Hadley and Hunter back here safe..." Jason nodded at her and took off. "Jesus, you and LaLa go on over there and sit down, have a little drink to take the edge off." She released her son from her embrace to the waiting arms of his lover. "We can't be actin' like we're at a wake when Hadley and Hunter get here. Our girls are coming home to us, do you hear me? They're coming home. Keep your thoughts positive and your spirits open..." she said as she walked away from them and went to the mullioned doors that led to the veranda.

Ruby Jean's words and tone caused Lafayette and Jesus to look up at her with their full attention as she walked past them.

"Good, you hear me," she said, her back to them both. "No more tears, my babies...if you want to help them keep all of your thoughts positive and your spirits open...that's what they need most right now. At least we have a location...use it..." she said as she opened the doors.

Behind her Jesus and Lafayette could tell that Ruby Jean was seeing something they could not. Lafayette dried his tears and both men strained to hear her soft whisper.

''They need power—let's try to send them some. Lay down on the floor; become one with this earth. We don't know where, Mother, but three women in New Orleans need you..."

The three of them lay down on the floor in front of the open door.

"Chant with me: 'Power from mother. Power from earth. Power from inside of me and power from worth. Take over me and make me stronger. I will be weak no longer.' Join me..."

The three of them chanted the spell and sent their spirits out looking for anchor in the hearts of their three captured loved ones.

* * *

><p>Jason hauled ass up the highway and made it to Shreveport in forty-five minutes. If he hadn't known already that Chow and Ginger were on the way to New Orleans he would have stopped in at Fangtasia on his way back with Hadley. Her plane was slightly delayed but thirty minutes later she called to say she had just collected their luggage. Jason picked them up at the curb and sped off.<p>

"Jason, slow down, please, we're both scared enough as it is," Hadley cautioned him in a hushed tone, trying not to alarm Hunter.

"I'm sorry, cuz," he said as he let up on the accelerator.

"So, what's going on?"

Jason explained all that he knew as his truck sliced through the night on the way back to Bon Temps.

"Oh Sweet Jesus," Hadley before she took her face in her hands in complete disbelief. Just then Jason's cell phone rang in his breast pocket.

"Hey, Andy."

"Where are you? We've been here at Merlotte's waitin' on you all night to come celebrate!" Andy said jovially. Jason could tell that it was pure joy and not liquor that had Andy feeling good and he found his mood infectious.

"Hey man, I just picked up my cousin from the airport..."

"Well, bring her on down! It's a real nice party goin' on here but we're really missin' you..." Jason heard a scuffle over the phone.

"Jason? Get your ass down here to my party, that's an order!" Kenya scolded him.

"Alright, I'm on my way," he said with a smile before he hung up.

"Jason, are you serious?" Hadley had been able to hear Andy and Kenya over the phone. "A party? Now?"

"You don't understand. I haven't broken the news to them. Nobody in town knows about this except us and the vampires, Hadley. I need to stop in, just for a minute—it's my old boss and my new and I gotta show some support."

"Oh, I don't even believe this..." Hadley groaned.

When they got to Merlotte's a half hour later the party was still jumping.

"He's exhausted, Jason...would you carry him in for me?" Hadley asked when she found her baby asleep in the cramped back seat.

"Sure...c'mon, buddy, we'll find a nice booth for ya when we get inside."

When they walked through the door the whole place erupted in cheers and warm greetings. He saw Hoyt and his mother knocking back some Tall Boys together at a booth near the bar; he saw Luna and her little girl, Emma who had both just walked away from picking a song at the juke box; all of the regulars were there and had come out to support their new Sheriff.

"Hey y'all," Jason said sheepishly. Hey Ginnie, can you help me settle little dude here into a booth to lie down, maybe?" he asked the young waitress.

"Sure," she said quietly as she led them to one.

"Everybody? Everybody?" came Kenya's voice over the din. "I want to direct you to the other man who was most instrumental in making this day a reality for me. He's a fine Deputy, a hell of a good man and not just a friend, but a part of my family...Jason Stackhouse! Jason, get over here!" Kenya smiled at him warmly. All eyes were upon him. He looked at Kenya and Andy and all of his friends and co-workers and somewhere a dam broke. When he went so did Hadley and everyone in the room was shocked, but just thought he was overwhelmed by all the good feelings. Kenya realized instantly that something more was going on and went to him.

"Jason Stackhouse, what is it? You better tell me now..." she warned him lovingly.

"It's Sookie...she's been...aww, Kenya, I didn't come here to ruin your party..."

"Sookie's been what, boy, spit it out."

"She's been abducted by Russell Edgington...and Steve Newlin—he's a vampire too, now. God..." he sobbed heavily as Kenya took him in her arms. Hadley came over then to comfort him, crying uncontrollably herself.

"Hadley? Oh darlin', I'm so sorry," said Andy as he embraced her.

"That's why you been running around all crazy these past few days? Why didn't you tell us? How can we help?" asked Kenya. Jason had been a wreck and again he found himself in the embrace of a powerful, loving mother figure, even if Kenya was about the same age as he was, and he thanked God for her.

"It's not just Sookie...he has Tara and Jessica, too." From his booth Hoyt jumped up and made his way quickly to Jason's side, much to the obvious chagrin of his mother.

Sam had just walked back in to room carrying a full box of liquor, and noticed the hush that had come over the room.

"Whoa, what's going on? Hey, Jason. Hadley? Well, what's wrong with everybody?" he asked as confusion replaced the smile on his face. Holly stepped up from behind him and whispered the news into Sam's ear. Sam stumbled and Holly helped him place the liquor box on the bar counter where he then had to steady himself. He wasn't aware of Luna as she watched him, his reaction confirming what he'd told her earlier: he was in love with someone else.

From his booth Hunter woke up and seeing his momma and uncle crying set him off, as well. Holly rushed over to him as Andy watched, falling more and more in love with her by the minute.

"Well hey there, you," she said as she kneeled down to greet the groggy scared little boy. "You look like you could use a little something to eat," came her sweet sing-song voice. "You come right over here with me—do you like chicken fingers and Angel eggs?" she said as she led him away.

"Where are they?" said Sam at last.

"Somewhere in New Orleans. Bill and Eric know where, but they haven't told us. They're not even back from Belarus, yet."

Sam shook his head in total consternation. He didn't even have any words. Finally he just said, "Excuse me," and left them all. Luna followed him.

"Where are you going?" she asked him as he ran through to the back door. Sam stopped and turned to face her.

"You know exactly where the fuck I'm going," he said angrily.

"You don't even know where in New Orleans they are, or what the hell is going on."

"What's it to you?" he shouted at her.

"Don't go, not like this, all distraught and alone—let me come with you, shotgun, Sam—two heads together," she offered sincerely.

"Why would you do this? There's nothing in it for you. Hell, there's nothing in it for me, but I have to try and do something."

"Same here, Sam," she said simply trying to hold back her own tears.

"Luna..."

"This is not a ploy. I don't have any expectations. I just simply want to help and I know that I can. You can say no and if you do I'll honor that and leave you alone from now on."

"What about Emma? If something happened to you during this I would never forgive myself. Never. I really appreciate your offer. I do. But you have a beautiful little girl out there who needs you. I can't let you take that kind of risk."

"Alright, Sam. I'll never bother you again," she said as the tears finally came.

"Luna..."

"Go on...and just please be careful. Good luck. She's a lucky..." Luna stopped herself. "Godspeed, Sam."

Sam's heart was breaking five thousand different ways, not only for himself but for everyone who cared about the three captive women and all the lives they had touched, directly or indirectly.

Luna followed him out to the back of the restaurant where Sam shifted into a mighty bald eagle and took off in flight, watching until he had disappeared into the night.


	33. Weak No Longer

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 33 Weak No Longer

Doctors Carter and Tomlin were an hour in to pleasuring themselves over Sookie's bound body. Through most of it Sookie had kept her eyes shut and endured it, concentrating on reclaiming her power more than the two depraved brutes molesting her. She dared to look at the clipboard on the table that was turned in her direction and found that she could make some of it out. The drug that they had given her was totally unpronounceable, but she read that its effects wore off in approximately an hour. The two bastards had been at her for about that long so she tried again to hear them. Before where she heard absolutely nothing she could now hear the faint echo of their sick thoughts. She tried her voice.

"Um..." she said, her voice a faint whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Um, doctors?" it was a louder whisper than before and this time they both heard her.

"Fuck, she's talking," said Dr. Tomlin, alarmed.

"I could do a lot more if you gave me a drink of water and freed my hands so that I could touch you," she said, not sounding seductive at all.

"You bitch, we like you just like this, quiet and immobile," Carter snarled at her. "Get the shot ready, Tomlin."

"That's too bad, that you like your women damn near dead and all. How long has it been since you fucked a real live woman? One that moves and can touch you back? I'm ashamed to say that what you've been doing actually feels good. But I could make you both feel so much better. I like having two men at a time..."

"Don't fall for it, Tomlin," Carter warned, "get the shot ready."

"No, man—why not? I have dead sex like this with my wife three times a week. She looks like she knows a thing or two. You don't want in, fine—more for me. What does it matter, anyway? She's toast after tomorrow, anyway. C'mon man, just this once," Tomlin coaxed his colleague.

"No, you go ahead. But I'm going to be right here ready to plunge this needle into her at the first sign of any funny business. Hurry up, man, do her and get it over with—we have a lot of results to analyze before sundown."

"Okay, sweet britches, we'll just undo one hand, how's that for a compromise?"

"Sure, one hand is better than none," Sookie said, with hate in her eyes.

"Yeah, I like angry sex, baby. There," he said when he unbound her one hand, "now, I'm gonna tell you what I want and you're gonna do it...grab my cock, slut, and stroke it like your life depends on it...oh yeah..." he moaned.

"You like that? How about this?" she said as she worked a different technique on him.

"Nice, you little country skank," he moaned at her.

Sookie pulled him towards her. "Come up here so I can suck it, please?" Sookie kept her voice very business like and cold which seemed to be just the right mix for the moron in her hand; she knew that if she went all Playboy channel on him she would be a lot less convincing. Tomlin advanced towards her enough that she got a clear shot of Carter, standing at the ready to immobilize her when the need called for it. Tomlin's cock was approaching her mouth and instead of casting her eyes at Carter's face she concentrated on the hand holding the syringe. As Tomlin was about to enter her she shot out her hand and directed her power at Carter which catapulted him to the ground and the needle onto the floor and across the room. She then shot a pulse of light into Tomlin's chest and effectively stopped his heart and flung him away from her. Carter was scrambling across the floor to get the syringe but Sookie was home free and shot him with a burst of power that sent him skidding across the pristine white floor and his head hard into a wall—he was out cold. Next she directed the power beam from her hand to the silver manacle on her other and freed it. The metal choker around her neck was next. Carefully she took hold if it, craned her neck to one side as much as was possible and put her palm to the brace, willing herself to hit only the brace and not her own neck. She could feel the heat upon her and the faint smell of singed hair, but she hadn't decapitated herself, she discovered as she frantically checked her neck.

She sat up to free her ankles and felt immediately woozy; her limbs felt heavy and thick. Finally, completely unbound then, she placed a tentative foot upon the cold floor and tested her ability to stand. Her legs felt tingly and itchy from the blood beginning to course back through them. The feeling was disconcerting but she had to get out of that room. She went to Tomlin and removed his lab coat and put it on to cover herself. Form the corner where Carter was she heard him moan as he tried to come to. Anger welled up in her like she'd never felt in all of her life and as he opened his eyes and looked at her she aimed her hand at his head and let the power fly out to obliterate it.

Now all she had to do was find a way out of the room. They had just come in, using no keys to get in or code to get out. She felt along the wall, searching for a seam in the wall, any indentation or trigger that might cause it to open.

"Duh," she said to herself out loud as she stepped back and used both hands to blast a hole through the wall. As soon as she did a cacophony of sounds came into her head: she could hear the screams of two women and then she heard Tara's unmistakable voice.

"_Sookie, we're in a cell...Sookie, are you alright? Please be alright...It's me and Jessica...Sookie, are you alright? This place is a maze...Please be alright...Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin have us—he's a vampire now, Sook...Sookie... "_

Sookie tried to follow Tara's voice but she knew that was useless. Maze she said—the place was a maze. Well, she would just have to follow every corridor. The story of Hansel and Gretel came to her then; she rushed back into the lab and found a scalpel, went back into the corridor and sliced her fingertip to let a drop fall to the floor then proceeded to try and find her way to Tara and Jessica.

* * *

><p>It was three hour flight from Shreveport to New Orleans and the Authority had given the green light to send five transport choppers full of human AVL troops to accompany Nan and her party to the abandoned amusement park. Nan had left Duprez and Kirsch in charge back in Shreveport and called to check in with them.<p>

"Any more contact between Sookie and the nephew?"

"None," reported Kirsch.

"When are Compton and Northman due back in Shreveport?"

"Nine p.m. Wednesday, tomorrow night."

"This should all be done by then. Isabel and Sarah Newlin?"

"Both still in Dallas under heavy guard and to be transported here via Anubis convoy in the morning. They'll both be here and secured by ten a.m."

"Good. Call me if there are any pertinent developments."

"Yes, Ms. Flanagan." They rang off.

"Can't this damn thing fly any faster?" Nan said to no one in particular as the other four vampires sat in their seats, all of them a little shocked and unaccustomed at seeing Nan so frazzled.

* * *

><p>About three hours in to his flight Sam caught sight of five unusual transport choppers over Baton Rouge. It was another hour to New Orleans. If he could just smell the fumes of the choppers he could track them to their final destination, but his sense of smell as an eagle simply had nothing on that of a dog and they would beat him to wherever they were going by an hour. He needed a phone—there must have been a way to find out what the vampires knew. He soared down to a little overrun creek and shifted back in to himself. There were a few houses down the dark lane, their lights out and their inhabitants long gone to bed. He went in to the first house he came to and went to his go to shape after he walked right through the unlocked front door. He scoped out the smell of pizza and funky football cleats that lead him right to the room of a sleeping teenaged boy, passed out on his bed and snoring as loudly as an old deckhand. He spied the boy's cell phone on the floor where he dropped it, just within reach of his hand. Sam took it into his mouth and ran out of the house with it. Back down the lane he dropped the phone from his mouth, shifted into himself and called LaFayette.<p>

"LaFayette?"

"Sam? What's up, man? Where are you? Jason said you tore outta yo place after you heard the news."

"I did. Look, I'm in Baton Rouge. The vampires are going to beat me to New Orleans, but I need to know where the hell they're going. Can you get in touch with the vampires in Belarus or something? Ask them if they'll tell you anything?"

"I don't need to—Ruby Jean had a vision, Sam—they're in the old abandoned amusement park, Six Flags, man. They were right not to tell us, I guess, cuz I _sho_ woulda been there by now."

"Yeah, they were right. The shit is serious, LaFayette—they sent a whole team here, five military transport helicopters full of security. Whatever is going on in there you would have been no match for it alone."

"Oh, and you are?"

"I don't know, but I'm on my way, anyway. Thanks, LaFayette. I'll keep you posted."

"Be careful, boss. Hey Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, man. I know you love her as much as I do."

"I love her more." Sam hung up.

He wanted to keep the phone and he wanted a faster way in, but he had no choice but to take off again. He would just have to hit the thermal updrafts and try to push himself to soar eighty miles per hour. They probably wouldn't just storm the place, anyway; surely they would have to set up and organize. He could make it in time...

* * *

><p>Sookie had been down five false corridors, but thanks to the blood she wasn't backtracking in futility. Finally she hit a corridor that led to a real hallway and the actual interior of dwelling. Tara had gone silent, but Sookie knew that she had to be close. She wondered why there wasn't more security around the place or why cameras hadn't picked her up and led a thousand men with rifles to her.<p>

They had really underestimated her. The last time Russell saw her she was nowhere near in control of her powers. But after the fiasco in the cemetery with the witches, that horrible night at the Moon Goddess Emporium and her trip to Faery, she promised herself she would be a better fairy. She had been practicing in secret for months. It had also been a great way to channel her energies into something positive after her break-ups with Eric and Bill. She hadn't told a soul what she was up to, not even Jason. Well, she was ready for them all, now. As long as she stayed out of the clutches of Russell's sadistic scientists, anyway. They'd taken her by surprise and drugged her right from the start. They wouldn't get that chance again—she'd kill herself before she let them take her captive again.

When she came to the end of the hallway she saw a study. She peeped in to see Steve Newlin on the phone deep in conversation. She walked right past, her heart in her throat the whole time. Then she passed a dining room and beyond that was another long hallway. She couldn't believe that so far it had been so easy. Too easy.

* * *

><p>Outside the monstrous structure at the Main Street entrance Nan Flanagan, Chow, Ginger, Blackburn and Julian Cromwell had been standing about in quiet discussion for quite some time. None of them noticed the pigeon that had flown in and alighted on the balcony of the Orpheum Theatre.<p>

"They must have hidden cameras up the ass—how can they not know that we're here?" asked Blackburn incredulously.

"I'm thinking they just don't concern themselves with what goes on up here..." Chow said. "Vagrants are too afraid to touch the place; you get your occasional high schoolers who come in on a dare or gang bangers who bring initiates in to spray a fresh tag; curious internet bloggers who come annually to document the decay; a tourist here and there only brave enough to come only this far and then get the hell out of here. They don't need that kind of surveillance—the creepiness of the place is security enough."

"So, are we going to stand out here all fucking night or go in and get them, already?" said Ginger exasperatedly. Chow shot her a look but she ignored him.

"No, Chow, she's right. There's only one way to find out what's going on in there and that's to go in." said Nan, as if in a trance. "I would just prefer to have some intelligence before we proceed. I really want the women alive—I'm just afraid that if we storm the place blind..."

Just then the pigeon flew down from the balcony on to the ground and transformed into a naked man.

"Maybe I can be of some assistance."

The troops drew their weapons upon him.

"What are you doing here, shape-shifter?" Nan said to him with a snarl.

"Sam?" said Ginger, admiration showing through her surprise.

"You know this man?" asked Nan never once taking her eyes off of him.

"This is Sam Merlotte from Bon Temps. He's a friend of every woman in there," explained Ginger.

"If you just show me the way in I can look for them, alert them that you're here and report back to you."

"Stand down," Nan ordered the troops. "Blackburn, do we know the way in?"

"My hunch is where I found the drum—at Cool Zone," Blackburn informed her.

"Merlotte, how do you propose to get in once we find entry?"

"Depends on the entry. I can go in as a pigeon, if possible. The smallest thing I can shift into is a fly. Once I'm inside I have several other go to shapes I can use if I need them."

"It's pretty disgusting around here for a naked human to be traipsing about on foot—Ginger, carry him in. Battalions 1, 2 and 3—stay here and cover the entrance. Battalions 4 and 5—cover us. Blackburn, lead the way."

All did as they were commanded and within minutes they were standing before the dilapidated concession stand. The vampires immediately began looking for an entrance. They found nothing over the wooden fence; nothing in the ground under the tall weeds. Blackburn looked at the four pillars holding up what was left of the structure and began running his hands along one, checking all sides before he moved to the next. When he got to the far left pillar he noted the dead moldy sconce high upon on side and investigated. He found that it could be turned to the side, like a dial on a stove and when he did the inside slab slid open to reveal a narrow elevator door.

"I found it! Here!" They all ran over to him.

"Don't hit the button!" Sam warned. "Pry it open with your hands, go in and open the hatch to the shaft," he said, which Blackburn did. Within seconds Ginger felt the weight of the man in her arms no longer as they all saw a fly dart in through the open door and disappear into the shaft hatch.

* * *

><p>For being such a huge compound Sookie could not imagine why the place seemed so devoid of people. But finally she came upon a twist in another long hallway that led to a double door. She went through, ready to blast anyone who tried to accost her and found a room—a cell—where Tara and Jessica lay on the floor, silvered, both badly burned as if they'd been set out in the sun, and healing slowly.<p>

"Tara! Jessica! Oh my God!" Sookie sent a burst of energy from her hands and blasted the lock on the door.

"Oh, my God, Sookie!" Tara cried out.

Sookie ran to her and removed the silver chains from her and the went to Jessica and did the same.

"You need to feed—take my blood," Sookie held out her wrists to them both.

"No way," said Tara.

"Tara Mae Thornton, fucking take my blood now! You too, Jessica, now!" Sookie endured the double hit, but she had done such a thing before. She got her mind off of that as she kept watch for anyone coming upon them all. She didn't have to tell them when to stop as the two women felt awkward at feeding from her in the first place. "I can stand a little more," she said to them.

"No, there's got to be some guards around here or something that we can..." Tara began before Sookie cut her off.

"I haven't seen anyone except Steve. I don't know where Russell is, I haven't seen any guards. It took me a while once I escaped but it just seemed too easy to get here."

"That's because it was, darlin'," he drawled at them from the open cell door, a dozen armed guards behind him. "Sookie, dear, are you feeling yourself because you had a few lucky blasts from your silly little fingertips? You've always been a lucky little bitch, but no more. We've got what we need from you all and it is time to say adieu."

Sookie stood up to face him, looking frightened, her lips quivering. She began to cry. Tara and Jessica rose to stand with her, the little blood they'd had from having helped them tremendously. "Stand back," Sookie hissed at them under her breath through her tears.

"Aww, isn't it too bad that human tears mean absolute shit to me, Miss Stackhouse? Face your death like a woman. I can't wait to drain every delicious drop from your stupid little body and then rip your spine right out of you. There's a garbage disposal with your name on it, waiting to receive your worthless remains, bitch. Grab those two behind and make them watch. Then take them out and shoot them," Russell ordered his guards, who approached Tara and Jessica with heavy chains of silver and subdued them. They drug them behind Russell so that they could watch Sookie's execution.

Russell rushed his weak, crying target then with his vampire speed but was surprised to find himself catapulted away from her with the force of a nuclear explosion. Everyone in the room took the hit and all went flying.

"Tara, Jessica...run!" she ordered them. They ran out of the holding area not quite knowing which way to go. Jessica followed Tara as she made a hard left at the turn of the hallway where she ran smack dab into Steve Newlin.

"What the fuck? You think you're getting out of here alive?" He bared his fangs, ready to rip Tara apart when all of a sudden he exploded. When his body parts and entrails cleared the air Tara saw Sam, naked, the wooden leg of a chair in his hand dripping with Steve Newlin's blood.

"Sam? How?" she stammered.

"Sam?" Jessica ran to him and leapt into his arms.

"Where's Sookie?" he said as he held her, never once taking his eyes away from Tara's.

"She's back there with Russell—she needs our help," said Tara frantically as she came back to herself.

"There's an elevator at the end of this hall—get in it and send Nan and her troops down here," he told them as he released Jessica. "Go on, now!" They took off as Sam raced to go to Sookie.

When Sam got to the cell he found Sookie being held by guards intent on keeping her hands subdued as Russell Edgington prepared to suck the life out of her. Sam shifted into a panther and attacked, finding it easy to dispense with the human guards. He mainly wanted to free Sookie who now was up and aiming her hands at Russell.

"Bitch, don't you know that I am almost three thousand years old?" he roared at her. "I have seen the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire; the Fall of Constantinople; Aztecs in their temples? WORSHIPPED ME! You think a few puny fireworks, your sad little parlor trick is going to be the end of ME? VAMPIRES...EAT FAERIES! And I'm going to eat you. And because of you I will finally be able to hold back the power of the sun over me. I WILL NOT be denied!

"Not so fast," said Sam as he suddenly appeared at Sookie's side, armed with a rifle loaded with silver-tipped wooden bullets aimed at Russell's head. He pulled the trigger. The surprise element was enough to keep Russell rooted in his spot long enough to receive the bullet.

At last, Russell Edgington was no more.

Just then Nan and her troops, flanked by Ginger, Chow and Blackburn, stormed in upon them. Julian had stayed above to see to Tara and Jessica.

"How?" was all that Nan could manage.

"A joint effort, to be sure," said Sam simply.

"The Authority is forever in your debt Sam Merlotte and Sookie Stackhouse," she said then. "Someone, get him some clothes and some shoes," she barked to her troops. "Sweep the compound," she said as she stepped away from them and called headquarters.

"Sam, how in the world did you know about all of this? How did you get here?" Sookie asked him then. Sam took her in his arms and cradled her.

"Little girl, I don't even have all the details about this myself, but do you have any idea how many people on God's green earth love you and Tara and Jessica? Let's just say the spirit was moving, girl, and leave it at that, huh?" he smiled at her.

"Yes, Dr. Ludwig, I'll ask her. I understand." Nan slid her phone closed with a loud snap and then approached Sookie.

"You know Dr. Ludwig?"

"Yes."

"It is her recommendation that everything in this compound _must _be destroyed."

"I agree totally. I wasn't able to take Russell out completely, but I know that I can torch this place and any human in it. All you have to do is say the word, Ms. Flanagan."

"Nan, dear," she said with an uncharacteristic, and genuine, smile.

* * *

><p>Over the next few hours before sundown the remaining scientists had been interrogated and sat bound in the laboratory. Chow, Ginger and Blackburn were dispatched with the information they needed to perform the cleansing procedure which they would be able to complete in earnest at the next sundown. The remaining compound guards and staff had all been herded into the cell and shot dead.<p>

With a fierceness and uncharacteristic blood lust Sookie unleashed her anger and torched every scientist one by one, their screams filling the compound as their victims once had. She blasted the laboratory and then headed back to the interior and did the same, room by room. Finally she got on the elevator and headed above ground where the sun was only an hour away from rising. She went to Julian, who was standing protectively over Jessica and Tara.

"I heard about your Lucas from Nan. I'm so sorry. I just want you to know that this is for all of us, but especially for him."

"Thank you, Sookie. That means a great deal to me," he said a single blood tear rolled down his cheek.

Nan spoke into a headpiece as all of the remaining vampires and got into the choppers. They would be going to ground in a Baton Rouge safe house.

Sookie turned her attention to the grounds of the park and began hurling fireballs in every direction then got in a chopper with Sam, which flew low enough for her to complete her task from the air. Soon the whole horrid place was ablaze from within and without. She waved to the other choppers as they flew their charges away to safety from the rising sun. She would not leave until she had seen the vile place burn down completely with her own eyes.

No firefighters came, no news vans—all part of the extraordinary mechanizations involved in the cleansing procedure employed by the Authority. It would be easily played down in the news and would also serve to help New Orleans finally move ahead with any redevelopment plans, which so far had all fallen through. Sookie and Sam stayed at a hotel in the Quarter that day and the next, checking back on the property with the assistance of the troops during the day while Julian searched through the rubble at night making sure all was obliterated.

Thursday morning she and Sam would head home.


	34. A Buzz In The Air

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 34 A Buzz in the Air

Late Wednesday morning Jason got a call from his sister.

"Sookie?"

"Hey, Jason," came his sweet sister's voice through the phone.

"When are you coming home? I have Hadley and Hunter stayin' with me and hell, we miss you, Sook. I'm so sorry about what happened...I thought I would lose my mind—I was losin' my mind," Jason thought back to the morning outside Merlotte's when LaFayette broke the news to him and started to get emotional as he relived the horror all over again.

"Oh Jason, honey, I'm alright...it's all over now and I can't wait to see you and give you a big 'ol bear hug." She heard him sniffling and almost started to cry, herself. "Now stop it or you're gonna get me started."

"When are you coming home?"

"Me and Sam just have to make sure everything here is completely a done deal, that's all. We're heading out of here in the morning. There's just one more thing, Jason..."

"Oh shit, do I really wanna know about this, Sook?" he asked with real dread in his voice.

"Look, the vampires are having a trial in Shreveport Thursday night so everybody is meeting there. Me and Sam have to be there, as well, so everybody is meeting at Ginger's house. The trial is going to be at Fangtasia. Anyway, Tara and Jessica will be there tonight and Ginger has graciously extended the invitation to any one who wants to come to her house and be with us until we can all get back to Bon Temps. So please tell Lafayette, Ruby Jean and Jesus. And of course you and Hadley and Hunter are invited."

"I don't know if Hadley will want to. I know she wants to see you, but Little Hunter's been through a lot these past couple of days. He's such a cool little guy, Sook." Sookie could feel the love in Jason's voice.

"I know. Sounds like you two are bonding, Big Brother."

"Hey, now. I'm trying to get Hadley to think about staying here. We all need to stay together."

"Well, maybe you can convince her. And I totally understand if she doesn't want to drag Hunter to Shreveport. Let her know that for me?"

"I sure will. Hey, where are Tara and Jessica now?"

"They went to ground in Baton Rouge. I gotta go now, Jason. I can't wait to see you. Call Fangtasia—they're expecting your call—and someone there will give you directions to Ginger's house, okay?"

"Done. I love you, sis. You and Sam be careful and get back here safe, ya hear?"

"We will. Bye."

Jason felt a hundred times better than he had in days at hearing the sound of his sister's voice. He didn't know what all she'd been through, but she sounded good. Just then Kenya stopped at his office door.

"Now, that's a wonderful sight," she said as she beamed at him.

"What, Boss?"

"That smile on your face—you heard from Sookie, didn't you?"

"Yeah. She's coming back tomorrow morning," Jason said as he stood to greet her.

Kenya came in and gave him a warm, happy hug.

"Thanks, Boss. For the first time in days I can actually think now," he said, relieved.

"I feel you, Jason. So, you ready to get back on the Herbert Case?"

"Damn straight, Boss. I'm gonna head out right now to talk to that waitress at Big Patty's Pie House—she called me again this morning," he said as he grabbed the keys to his cruiser.

* * *

><p>"Who was that, LaLa?" Ruby Jean called from the porch of Lafayette's house.<p>

Lafayette stepped through the screen door to join his mother and his lover at the patio table with a fresh pitcher of homemade lemonade. He sat down to pour for them both.

"That," he said as he handed his mother a glass, "was Mr. Jason Stackhouse. Our girls will be comin' in to Shreveport tonight." LaFayette handed Jesus his glass with a wink and a smile to which Jesus took his hand and kissed it chastely in thanks. "Are you ladies up to goin' out tonight?" he asked them both.

"Tara and Jessica aren't coming home?" asked Jesus.

"Not tonight. The vampires have a trial to attend Thursday night at Fangtasia—Ginger is puttin' up anyone who would like to come stay at her house. Sam and Sookie are comin' back from New Orleans tomorrow morning—that's where they're goin', too."

"Of course we're going, LaLa, don't be silly. I can't wait to wrap my arms around them," said Ruby Jean as she looked off into the distance, a knowing smile on her beautiful face.

* * *

><p>As the day progressed the buzz in the air around Bon Temps became electric. The news had spread that the girls were soon to return and Jason's cell phone had been blowing up all day. He'd had calls from Andy Bellefleur who'd passed the phone to Terry and Arlene, all of them relieved and ecstatic that the girls were safe and all soon coming home; then Alcide called, telling him that he had only just heard about the whole ordeal.<p>

"You okay, man?"

"I am now, Alcide, thanks for asking."

"So, they're on the way back, then?"

"Yeah, Tara and Jess tonight, Sookie tomorrow morning."

"Damn, I wish somebody had called me sooner..."

Jason knew that was not a rebuke and that Alcide was coming straight from his heart. "I know man, everything just happened so fast. It was fucking crazy."

"Hey, I believe it. Well, I just wanted to check on you. I'm glad they're safe. Give them all my love, will ya?"

"You got it. Thanks, Alcide."

"Take care, man."

When Jason got back to the station Hoyt called him sounding hurt and tortured, voicing his wish that he and Jessica had not broken up and his regret at casting her out of his life.

"Man, I ain't never gonna be right," he said as he started to cry.

"Hoyt, man, get a grip on yourself. I don't want to shoot you with no false hopes, or anything, but you never know what the future might bring, huh?"

"I appreciate that, Jason, but I'm pretty sure she's over me. I sure hope she's over you," he joked through his tears."

"Hey man, don't even go there. You know how I feel...she's just a..."

"It's cool, Jason. I'll be okay someday. You give 'em all my love when you see 'em, alright?"

"I will, man. And thanks."

"Cool. I know you got a lot goin' on, but come by the house for a beer when you can, okay?"

"Deal." The two friends hung up. Just then Kenya appeared at his office door.

"Great job on the Herbert case, Jason," she smiled at him.

"Thanks, Boss, I'm writin' up the report now."

"Look, that can wait a day or two. We've got enough coverage here—you go on home and see to that cousin and nephew of yours. Report back on Friday morning—you're going to need some time to spend with Sookie when she gets back. Well, go on—that's an order."

Jason jumped up and gave her a big bear hug.

"You're the best, Sheriff Jones."

"I know that," she said as he kissed her cheek. "Give them all my love when you see them, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." Kenya left him.

Holly Cleary called just before he was about to walk out of the station, inquiring as to how Hadley and Hunter were doing and then apologizing for her horrible treatment of Tara that night at Merlotte's that seemed like a lifetime ago to him.

"Hey, Holly, I appreciate you, but I think you should tell Tara that, yourself," he said kindly.

"You're right, Jason. And I will, as soon as I set eyes on her again. I'm so glad they're alright I don't know what to do with myself. I'll be glad when Sam gets back and reopens the place. At this point in time I don't think anybody cares how long it'll take him to repair the kitchen, everybody just wants back in! Plus, my bank account is not too happy with me right now," she joked. Jason could hear the worry in her voice, though.

"I know Sam, Holly. When he gets back I know he'll make it all right for all of you guys. You know, I don't know if he came from money or what, but good times or bad he's always been hella generous to his employees. Do you need anything Holly? Really, just tell me, girl, and you got it."

"Oh Jason, that's so sweet of you, thank you for offering. I'm gonna follow your advice and keep my cool. Sam'll be back tomorrow—I'm sure you're right and I'm just pleased as punch that everybody is okay. Hey, you give your cousin and that sweet nephew of yours a hug and kiss for me?"

"I sure will."

"Let me know when Tara gets settled back home so that I can pay her a visit. And give her and Sookie and Jessica big 'ol hugs from me, too."

"I will, Holly, thanks."

"Bye, Jason."

* * *

><p>"Jason, you're home early, hey!" said Hadley as she rushed to give him a hug.<p>

"Hey uncle Jason, I missed you!" said Hunter as he ran and jumped into his arms.

"Hey you, I missed you, too. And guess what?"

"What?" said Hunter excitedly.

"You know Miss Kenya? My boss?"

"Yes!"

"Well she gave me the rest of today _and_ tomorrow off so that I could spend it with you and your momma and aunt Sookie when she gets back..."

"Yea!" Hunter squealed as he hugged his uncle's neck tighter.

"Okay, baby, don't choke the life out of him," Hadley cautioned him with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry, uncle Jason," the boy said as he let him go and took a step back to inspect his uncle's neck. "He's okay, momma," Hunter said so seriously that it set both Hadley and Jason to laughter. "Can I go play in the back yard, uncle Jason?"

"You sure can, buddy. Hold on..." Jason went to the coat closet and produced a basketball. "I haven't used this in a long time, man—go on out there and get your practice in then I'm gonna come out and you can give me some pointers on my game, huh?"

"Okay!" he said wide-eyed and full of joy. "I never get the ball at school, this is gonna be great!" and he ran off happily. Hadley watched her baby go with a tear streaming down her cheek. Jason looked at her then went to her and embraced her.

"It's been rough for you hasn't it, Cuz?"

"Yeah. Hunter's had such a hard time in school, trying to keep his secret, bein' picked on by the other kids; moving around so much. Jason, I'm not even supposed to have him. I basically abducted him from Remy. I was trying to keep him safe from the vampires. They were coming after Sookie—I warned her months ago."

"Look, what I remember about Remy is that he always loved you. As long as you've been on the run if he'd meant to cause you any trouble he would have by now."

"I've done such horrible things, Jason, but I love my baby," she started to cry.

"Hey, we've all done some horrible things. But we're a family, Hadley and I love you both. Why don't you come back here to stay? Get yourself straight, call your ex-husband and let him know that his boy is alright and take it from there."

"He'll take him away from me, Jason."

"I don't think so. I think that if you take the time to explain it all he might surprise you. He coulda had the State police huntin' you down, put out an Amber alert—all of that—and he hasn't. Because he knows you're trying to protect his boy. You have to let him know that you're both alright, Hadley. You have to. You owe it to him and Hunter, too. That's a fine boy you got there. And he needs all of us. Come on, dry up those tears and pull yourself together. I want you to call him tonight, before you put Hunter to bed, you hear? And you can both stay here as long as you want. Period." Jason pulled a fresh handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"What a fine Southern gentleman you are," she smiled up at him.

"Can't be one unless you always carry one of these," he smiled back at her.

Hadley composed herself shortly and took a look around the house. "Jason, you sure have fixed up your momma and daddy's house real nice."

"Yeah, I caught enough flack from Sookie to last me a lifetime," he chuckled. I'm still workin' on it, though. It was a shame that I let it go the way I did. But after Gran's house got all fixed up I just felt like a real disrespectful slob. Have you been to Gran's house since it was all fixed up?"

"Yeah, when I went to Sookie to warn her about the vampires; right before I got Hunter. It was beautiful. So is your place."

"Thanks." Just then there was a knock on his door. "I wonder who the heck that is?" Jason went to the door and looked out of the peephole, shocked at who was on the other side. "Shit." He yanked the door open.

A teenaged boy and a younger girl were standing there, dirty and disheveled, each holding a baby in their arms.

"Timbo? Becky?"

"Hey, Mr. Jason," said Timbo, who looked sad and tired.

"Get in here, both of you," he waved them in.

"These are yours, Mr. Jason," Becky said unceremoniously referring to the babies.

"Jason, what the hell?" asked Hadley, shocked beyond all measure.

"It's a long story, Cuz. Both of you, sit down. Tell me what's going on."

"Crystal let us stay long enough for these two to be born—they were the only ones that came from...you know," said Timbo nervously. "She punished us something awful for helpin' you to get away. But she got _really_ mad about these two...said they weren't werepanthers at all and she didn't want no damn half-breeds. She waited a couple of months to be sure about them, then she gave them to us and sent us away."

"Jesus Christ. You sure she didn't follow you here?"

"She don't want nothin' to do with you ever again, Mr. Jason," Becky assured him. "If they had been full were I think you coulda been worried—she would have captured you again for breedin' for sure."

"Jason, what the fuck are they talking about?" asked Hadley in horror. Just then Hunter burst into the room.

"Hey, uncle Jason, I thought you were gonna—" he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the scary unlikely foursome sitting on his uncle's couch.

"_what a sweet little boy...wish we had a family..."_ he got from the sad-looking girl.

"_...don't know how I'm gonna take care of us all...God, I'm hungry...please Mr. Jason, help us...help me find a job or something..."_ he got from the tall, dirty boy.

"They smell bad," said Hunter, not meaning it how it sounded.

"Hunter! That's not nice, at all..." his mother scolded him.

"I'm sorry, momma. What I mean is they seem like they need some help."

"We been on the road all last night and today," said Timbo dejectedly.

"Hunter, these are my friends, Timbo and Becky...and these two little ones...are your cousins. What are their names?" he turned to Becky and asked her.

"Crystal didn't give 'em no names—she just called 'em boy and girl."

Jason went to look at the poor little thing wrapped in the dirty blanket in Becky's arms and then the child in Timbo's and started to cry. He pulled himself together as quickly as he could and turned to Timbo. "Timbo, I got some clothes you can fit in to—you go get yourself a bath—or maybe you want some food first?"

"I am awful hungry..."

"Hadley, would you be kind enough to fix them something to eat?"

"Coming right up," she said as she rushed to the kitchen.

"Tell you what we're gonna do, here...Hunter?"

"Yes, uncle Jason?"

"You come with me. We're goin' out to get some things—you're gonna help me. We got to get diapers and bottles and a couple of baby beds...some clothes for Becky, for starters—can you help me with that?"

"Yes, uncle Jason," he said with a smile. He liked the two dirty older kids and was excited about having cousins.

"And when we're done with all of that we're goin' to the ice cream parlor and you're gonna pick out the best ice cream cake in the place and we're gonna come back here and have ourselves a little party. That sound good?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

On the way out Jason gave Becky a kiss to her dirty forehead as she sat crying from frustration and relief. He gave Timbo a warm reassuring pat on his shoulder and a nod of his head to let him know it was all going to be alright and then left with his nephew who was pulling at his hand excitedly as they made their way to the door.

* * *

><p>Bill and Eric arrived in Shreveport at nine pm exactly and were at Ginger's new house within twenty minutes of landing. As the limousine pulled through the expansive security gate off the main street and made its way up the circular drive Eric took in the mansion as it came in to full view with an amused smile. The house was like no other in the neighborhood, but far away from the main drag and so heavily forested with magnolia, willow trees and strategically planted tulip poplars that the house could not be seen and therefore not stand out.<p>

"Well, she always told me she liked castles," he said to Bill wryly.

Bill was not surprised at all by Ginger's Gothic, yet classy taste and could see that Eric was quite proud of her, indeed. At the door they were greeted by Kirsch.

"My Liege, Eric—it's so good to have you both back," she said warmly as she ushered them into the huge arched hallway.

"It's good to be back. And with such good news all around," said Eric as he looked around Ginger's house for the first time. His eyes settled on the high arched entryway that led to an expansive Great Room to the right of them, the giant hearth visible and ablaze with a roaring fire. To the left was a huge dining room; ahead was a grand staircase that lead up to a landing which branched also to stairs on the right and left.

"Is anyone else here yet?" asked Bill, trying to keep his composure.

"No. The party from Baton Rouge lands at ten; your house guests should be here soon, though. Sookie and Sam arrive in the morning—I believe they are expected between ten am and noon," Kirsch informed him.

"I think I'll put in a call to Chow—maybe I can be of some assistance," Eric said cooly and left them.

"Well, I guess it is you and me, Kirsch. Please join me and fill me in on all the details?"

"Gladly. I'm sure you haven't fed—shall I call a donor?"

"Yes, please," Bill said with a smile. But all he could think about was Tara and Sam and what had happened between them while he had been apart from her.


	35. Closer To Home

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 35 Closer To Home

Twenty minutes after Eric and Bill arrived at Ginger's mansion LaFayette was buzzed in to enter the gate and drove his charges up the circular drive to the door.

"Damn, Ginger got it like that? Go on, Miss Ginger," LaFayette said admiringly to himself as he got out of his truck and then helped his mother out from the back seat. Jesus joined him and the two men linked their arms through hers and escorted her to the door as the valet took his vehicle away. Kirsch greeted them.

"Hello, please follow me..." and she lead them to the Great Room where Bill was waiting.

"Sheriff Kirsch, this is Tara's cousin, LaFayette Reynolds, her aunt Ruby Jean Reynolds and Jesus Velasquez. Everyone, this is Sheriff Kirsch, who has been kind enough to run things while Eric and I have been away," Bill said as he introduced them all.

"Very pleased to meet you all. Tara and Jessica should be here any minute now." Kirsch gave a smile and a bow and left them.

Ruby Jean went to Bill and gave him a hug as if he were her own child, full of warmth and great affection. He found it hard not to be touched. "She loves _you_, Bill," she whispered into his ear before she let him go. "I'm so glad you're all back safe and sound."

"As am I," he smiled warmly at her.

"Where's Eric?" asked LaFayette after he and Bill exchanged handshakes and heartfelt pats upon their backs.

"He's gone to assist Chow, Ginger and Blackburn with their work here tonight, in preparation for tomorrows trial."

Jesus and Bill shook hands and then Bill led them all to sit down and get comfortable.

"We've heard practically nothing about what went down in New Orleans," LaFayette began.

"LaLa—no. Details later. Nothing but love tonight, do you hear me?"

LaFayette smiled. Ruby Jean was right, there would be plenty of time for details when the girls cared to give them. He thought back to his time in Eric's dungeon and shivered.

Outside another limo pulled up to the door.

"Ladies...and gentleman...you'll please excuse me for not coming in with you—I must go to Fangtasia to deal with Isabel and Sarah Newlin. Please give my regards to all and I'll see you at trial tomorrow evening," Nan bid them adieu and the limo pulled off. The trio headed for the door.

Kirsch greeted them all with hugs and led them quietly to the Great Room. She stood in the entryway and cleared her throat loudly. The four in the room looked up to see Tara, Jessica and Julian Cromwell and all of them jumped up, rushing to greet them. Kirsch slipped quietly away and left them to enjoy their reunion.

"Bill!" cried Jessica as she ran into his arms. He caught her and cradled her gently, kissing the top of her head as he pulled her hair out of her face. Tara was locked in a group hug with the others and trying to stave off blood tears. Ruby Jean broke away from them and, ever the mother, grabbed Julian and gave him a strong warm hug as well, before she made her way to Jessica. Finally, after everyone had passed around their hugs Bill and Tara locked eyes and walked towards each other. Whatever anger he felt or thought he felt melted away as soon as she touched him. Both of them, being very private, held back their desires and only embraced each other, anxious to do more when other eyes weren't watching, but more than happy with the chance, at last, to be together again.

"Nan sends her regards, all," Julian announced, "but she has business at Fangtasia to attend to."

"Where's Eric?" Jessica asked then, finally aware that he was not there.

"He's gone to assist your Blackburn so that he can get back here and see you before sunup," Bill smiled at her when he finally tore himself from Tara's embrace.

Jessica blushed.

Tara knew better. That might be partly true, but she knew that Eric wanted desperately to see Sookie, no matter what he told everybody else. He had found it necessary to busy himself and work through the agony of having to wait yet another night before he could do just that. She looked at Bill then, really looked at him and reached up to run her fingers through his hair.

"You need a hair cut..."

"No more hair cuts," he looked at her devilishly.

"Oh, it's like that, huh?"

"Yes, it's like that."

"I like it."

"I thought you would. Tara, we need to talk."

"That doesn't sound good," she said as she removed her hand from him. He grabbed it and kissed it then pulled her close to him.

"Only you will be the true judge of that."

"We can't just leave everybody now."

"I know that. But as soon as possible."

"Yes, alright."

Just then an elderly but stately woman came in to see to them.

"Hello, everyone, I am Mrs. Mirren, the housekeeper here. Refreshments are being served in the dining room. Mistress Tara, Ms. Jessica, Mr. Julian, have you had dinner this evening?"

"As a matter of fact, no..." said Jessica.

"Thank you, Mrs. Mirren, I'm good for now," said Tara.

"Mr. Julian?"

"Uh, no, neither have I."

"Would both of you please follow me then," she said delicately. "We shan't be long, please make yourselves at home," she told the rest of them as she ushered Jessica and Julian away.

"Stop looking so shocked, you two," said Ruby Jean to Jesus and LaFayette, "they're not going to bring their donors to the table while you nibble on gourmet mini sliders and sip punch...they have to eat, too."

Bill and Tara looked at each other and had to laugh.

Not long afterward Jessica and Julian rejoined them and they all sat around the dining table telling funny stories from better times and enjoyed the much needed catharsis.

"Well, good people, I'm actually kinda tired and as much as I hate to tear myself away from you I'm going to say goodnight," said LaFayette as he rose from the table.

"Good gracious, is it really one-thirty?" Ruby Jean said looking at the clock over the mantle of the fireplace. "I think that's a good idea, LaLa. We want to be fresh and rested when we receive Sookie and Sam in the morning."

Mrs. Mirren appeared then. "I shall be happy to show you all to your rooms," she said to the humans. She knew the vampires weren't ready to retire just yet and Kirsch had already shown Bill his and Tara's cubby earlier.

They all said their good-nights.

"Jessica, Julian, we don't mean to be rude, but I must talk to Tara before sunup..."

"We understand completely, my Liege. Good morning to you both and we'll see you tomorrow night."

Jessica rose, went to them and kissed them both on their cheeks. "Sleep well."

"And you," said Bill. And then they were gone.

"Shall we go back to the Great Room, Jessica?"

"Sure."

* * *

><p>At last they were alone.<p>

"I really do like your hair all long and wild like this, Bill." Tara smiled as she reached up to play in his soft locks.

"Remind you of Sam, maybe?" Bill accused her through narrowed eyes, his voice low and menacing as he cocked his head to one side. His words were like a slap upon her cheek and she recoiled from him as she drew her hand away from him. He grabbed it and yanked her forcefully into him. "Well? Answer me!"

"What do you want to know?" she said then, steeling herself against his rage and his angry grip.

"Do you love him?" he hissed at her.

"Yes."

"You want to fuck him." It wasn't a question.

"I'm a vampire now, Bill, I want to fuck everybody. Threesomes are especially delicious—you know a little something about that, now don't you?" she said, her voice low and steady.

"Do not even try to hide behind that, Tara—the intensity of your feelings for him have nothing to do with your vampire nature and you and I both know it."

"I won't deny that every time he touches me I want to give myself over to him completely. But I'm not what he needs, Bill. And as much as I'm still drawn to him he's not who I want. I'm with who I want."

"And when you see him again?"

"Well, what did you do when Sookie realized she loved you and Eric both, equally as much?"

"I let her go."

"Did you, really?"

"She let us go because she could not make a choice, but I pushed her out of my heart long before that."

"Debatable. But she did make a choice. And she and Eric, for whatever stupid reason, are still fighting it."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"I've made my choice, as well. But I'm not fighting it."

"What happens when you see him again, Tara, and your desire to give yourself to him takes over?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to make me say it?"

"Say what?"

"That I can endure...anything...except not having you. Do you understand me?"

"I understand you. I love you, Bill. Do you understand me?"

Bill loosened his grip upon her and yanked her head back savagely by her hair and then answered her with a vicious kiss upon her lips.

* * *

><p>With Eric's help the North American collaborators were wiped out much sooner than anticipated and the team returned to Ginger's house by four am. When they arrived Mrs. Mirren greeted them.<p>

"Can I get you anything, Mistress Ginger?"

"Mrs. Mirren, what are you still doing up?"

"There are still guests to attend to," she looked in the direction of the Great Room.

"Oh no, darlin' above and beyond the call of duty. Go up and get your rest. Thank you for everything. As a matter of fact I insist that you take the rest of the week off. You've worked so hard and done such a wonderful job preparing things for me."

"All my pleasure, Mistress Ginger. I don't need the rest of the week..."

"Then tomorrow, at least, really. Really."

"Well then, yes Mistress, I am a bit tired. Thank you."

"Thank you. Sleep well and enjoy your day tomorrow."

"Thank you again, Mistress." Mrs. Mirren retired then.

"I can taste bile in my mouth, Ginger. What the fuck?" Eric grimaced as he walked past her and proceeded to the Great Room.

"She's a proper English lady, and I enjoy the protocol. She was very hard to find and came highly recommended and I want her to be happy here."

"Spare me, please," he said over his shoulder.

"You know, I'm doing this all for you, Eric. This should be your house, your responsibility," she called after him angrily.

Blackburn and Chow watched intently but said nothing as they followed him. Blackburn's steps quickened when he heard the familiar voice of his red-headed sweetheart.

Like Bill and Tara before them Jessica and Blackburn kept their passion at bay. Eric was not fooled.

"For the love of hell, go somewhere and fuck, already," he told them caustically.

"Happy to see you, too, Eric," said Jessica with a smile that belied her embarrassment and upset as she left them all.

"Eric, what's wrong?" Chow dared to ask carefully.

"I need to sleep. Good morning to you all."

"Let me show you to your cubby," Ginger offered.

"Thank you, but I'm not sleeping here," he growled at her. With his vampire speed Eric disappeared.

"Alright then, gentlemen, let me show you to _your _cubbies...or did I buy this place for nothing?" she said bitchily to Chow, Blackburn and Cromwell.

"He'll be alright, Ginger. And I love your place. Please, after you," said Chow, ever the diplomat.

* * *

><p>In the wee hours before the sun graced the morning sky there was still a buzz in the air, electric with love and longing; fear and anticipation; promises and recommitments.<p>

At Ginger's palatial home Blackburn had found Jessica and brought her to his cubby where they made love, finally, both anticipating the first night that they could go out and kill together and experience the blood orgasm Jessica so wanted to share with him; content then to sleep together peacefully in each others cold embrace. So too, Bill and Tara, their commitment to each other as strong as ever; still locked together in the physical embrace of their love, filling each other up literally even in sleep. Chow, Ginger and Julian, all mentally exhausted, had given in to the Little Death immediately when their heads hit their pillows.

In their room, Jesus and Lafayette woke with the rising sun and made love quietly while Ruby Jean, in her own, rose to greet the day. She got dressed so that she could go to the kitchen and make breakfast as she gave thanks to the Mother, who had seen fit to grace her with another day of life.

* * *

><p>In New Orleans, Sam and Sookie rose with the sun, anxious to pack their few belongings and begin the journey home.<p>

* * *

><p>In Bon Temps, Jason walked through his house to survey his sleeping family as he held the two babies in his arms, having decided easily to name them Michelle and Corbett after his mother and father. Hadley had changed her mind and decided that she would like to go and see Sookie in Shreveport, after all, and the night before the whole house had been filled with unbridled excitement.<p>

At Sookie's house Eric was in his cubby that Sookie had tried so adamantly to have removed. The blood tears had long dried upon his face as he lay holding her pillow close to his body, drinking in her scent until he could relish the genuine article. Free to feel his damned feelings without them being broadcast to the world he gave himself over to them and then finally closed his eyes.


	36. Penalties

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 36 Penalties

Sookie and Sam finally arrived at ten-thirty on Thursday morning at Ginger's lovely mansion.

"Wow. Who knew?" Sookie marveled.

"Yeah, really," Sam agreed. The door opened and they were both relieved to see Jason and Ruby Jean's happy smiles.

"Y'all get on in here. There's quite a few surprises waitin' for you," said Ruby Jean after she hugged them both.

When Sookie and Jason embraced they almost couldn't let go. The full weight of her ordeal finally struck her as he held her in his arms; tears flooded her eyes as she broke down right there at the door. Ruby Jean led Sam away to the others waiting in the great room as Jason led Sookie to the dining room for some much needed time alone with her brother.

"I'm sorry, Jason, I...I just can't even believe it all happened. I felt like I was in the damn Twilight Zone or something. I was drugged...shackled...I was raped, Jason...I don't know how I survived it."

"But you did, Sook. You're the strongest woman I know."

"I killed those men, Jason. With my own hands, my own power..."

"They fuckin' deserved it, Sook."

"I don't know, Jason...Lord knows they hurt me and they hurt my friends. I'm just surprised at myself at how much I enjoyed killing those men. That just makes me as monstrous as them..." she said in great anguish.

"You're not a monster," he said softly.

"I don't know how I'm gonna get through it, though, I..I..."

Jason pulled a chair away from the dining table and sat his sister in it, then pulled one out for himself and set it close to hers before he sat down and took her hands into his own.

"You take it one day at a time, little sister. I know about being raped and bound, Sookie. I never told you about it...Hoyt is the only other person on earth who knows. When I was missing, when the were-panthers had me...the women wanted to...breed me," he said as his face twisted up in disgust and disbelief, "...they raped me, Sookie; they tied me down, fed me Viagra...I don't know how many of 'em got on top of me and had their way with me, a line of women, Crystal, first. They did me against my will after Crystal and her brother Felton turned into panthers and fed from me, ripped at my body with their claws. I was sick with fever and fear. I was humiliated. It was a nightmare. There's two kids in the next room that were part of the pack and they helped me escape. Out of all of those women two got pregnant and had my babies. But the babies aren't full were-panthers so Crystal cast them and the two kids that helped me out of the pack."

"Oh my God, Jason? Why didn't you tell me? I'm a horrible sister...I of all people should have known, I should have read you..." her tears began to flow again.

"You are not a horrible sister. I know you work real hard to stay of our heads, Sook, and give us our privacy. And I was too ashamed to tell you then, anyway. I'm telling you all of this because you and I are both survivors; I'm telling you now so that you know I understand completely what happened to you and that I'm sorrier than words can express. There's not a day that goes by that I don't remember what happened to me, but I've been taking it day by day. I'm thinkin' now that maybe we should get some help...together..I think I still need more help, Sook. Especially now...because..."

"Because what, Jason?"

"Because my two babies are in the next room and I want to raise them to be whole and happy and I want them to know what love really is. But I think I can do that better if I seek some professional help to deal with my problems. And after what's happened to you..." he started to cry.

"Jason, I do love you so. And I want to, I think you're right. I _know_ you're right. We will. We are going to heal. God, I love you. Yes, let's do it. I need to...reclaim my life—I'm so tired of my life bein' such a hot mess."

"God, I feel you on that one. You let me know when you're ready to see everybody," he said as he began to pull himself together.

"I'm ready now. The babies...how old are they?"

"I'm not really sure. They look a little sickly and they're awfully tiny, like premies, or something. But they're both awful cute. Of course, I'm pretty biased." he smiled at her. Sookie could see that he was really happy about them and put her hand to his cheek.

"You're gonna be great daddy, Jason."

"I sure wanna be," he kissed her hand in thanks.

"Boys? Girls? What?"

"A boy and a girl. Crystal didn't even name them. I named them after momma and daddy. Is that okay with you?"

"Oh Jason, of course it's alright with me. God, I'm never gonna stop at this rate..." she said as she tried to stop another crying jag.

"When you're ready, hon."

"I really am now. Little Michelle and Corbett," she whispered to herself and then threw her arms around her brother. When she let him go she took his hand as they stood up and walked together, ready then to meet the new additions to her family and reunite with her friends.

* * *

><p>By sundown Sookie had said her goodbyes to her family, all of them knowing that it was best to get on home and wait for her to return to Bon Temps after the trial was over. As she stood at the door and watched them all drive away she knew that she was truly blessed and couldn't believe that her life was filled with so many loving people. She started to cry for the hundredth time that day.<p>

Sam walked over to her and put an arm around her, but said nothing.

"God, I'm a wreck, Sam. An absolute wreck."

"Just take a deep breath," he said as he followed his own advice. "C'mon, let's get inside, huh? You're gonna be just fine, even better when you get home."

"You promise, Sam Merlotte?"

"I promise."

They entered the great room to find all of the vampires assembled there. When Sookie, Tara and Jessica saw each other the three women ran towards each other, arms outstretched for the ensuing group hug.

"Sam, so good to see you again, man," said Blackburn as he came over and shook his hand. Julian gave him a warm nod from across the room as Ginger and Chow approached him, both smiling with admiration.

"Good work, shape-shifter," Ginger said with great affection in her voice as she hugged him to her.

"Sookie is the real hero," Sam said honestly.

"We owe you both a great deal," said Chow as he towered over him.

Sam had never seen vampires display such happy human emotions and certainly not a room full of them. It was a bit disconcerting. He looked over at Bill, then, who was leaning against the inside of the entryway with his arms crossed, watching him closely through narrow eyes and a bit of a scowl upon his face.

"Yeah, well, nothing could have kept me from it," Sam said to them as he looked directly at Bill.

Bill continued to stare him down as if he was waiting—for what, God only knew.

"Bill?"

The sound of her voice made him look instantly in her direction and straighten up as she approached him.

"Bill..."

"Sookie..." his features softened as he looked into her eyes and then grabbed her into his warm familiar embrace. Across the room Jessica took Tara's hand in hers and led her to join them.

"Thank you, Sookie, I am so sorry for what you endured and eternally grateful to you for getting all of you back here safely to us," he said as he hugged the three women to him.

Just then Ginger's cell phone rang. "Yes, alright, we're on the way," she hung up. "That was Eric. He's at Fangtasia. King Bill, Chow—Nan needs us to come right away," she said urgently.

"He's there already?" asked Jessica, confused.

"He may have gone to ground there this morning—he left here before sunrise," explained Ginger.

Bill broke away reluctantly from the three women.

"Well, we'll see you shortly, then," he said simply as he resigned himself to do that which he least wanted, which was to leave Tara and Sam the opportunity to be alone. Inwardly, he cursed the unknown task that awaited them. He gave Tara a look that told her he loved her and her eyes told him the same. And then he, Chow and Ginger disappeared.

Jessica looked worried about what was going on at Fangtasia, but Sookie was crestfallen for a whole other reason. She had wondered where Eric was but had not had the chance to ask about him.

"Ladies, have you eaten?" asked Blackburn of Tara and Jessica. "Julian and I are about to avail ourselves...uh, we're going to have a bite before the proceedings—would you like to join us?"

"Yes, I'm starving," said Jessica. "Tara, you coming?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Well, okay. See you in a bit, then." The three vampires left them.

"I'm kinda hungry myself," said Sookie, looking sad and trying hard to mask her disappointment. "Will you two please excuse me? I saw a banquet in the fridge earlier when I put bottles in for the babies and I think I'd do well to have something, myself. Sam, you hungry?"

"Uh, no, Sookie. I'm too anxious to get this night over with to eat anything, right now. You go on ahead."

"Yeah," she said absently and then left them.

When Sookie was out of sight Sam took Tara's hand and led her out of the house, through the door, down the steps into the cool night and across the lawn. He stopped when they reached the largest southern magnolia tree on the vast grounds, where he said nothing as he pinned her against its wide trunk, its leaves shaped in a perfect pyramid high above them and looked deeply into her eyes. There was no time for words. He took her face in his hands and kissed her and she met him without resistance.

* * *

><p>"I hate to bring back bad memories, Bill, but the spot where Antonia Gavilan tied you and Eric to the pyre—we need another one erected there right now and cameras set up," Nan told him when he and the other two vampires walked in to Fangtasia.<p>

The club was a hive of activity as Kirsch and Duprez were setting up the closed circuit monitors and the laptops that Bill, Eric, Nan and Sarah Newlin, would be broadcasting from. Several of Nan's guards were arranging tables and chairs for the others who would be in attendance while Isabel sat silvered and bound in a corner flanked by two armed Authority liaisons.

"Bill and I can handle that. Where's Sarah Newlin?" asked Eric.

"She's in your office with two guards. I'm sorry, but her fucking crying has been driving me insane—I had to get her out of my sight. I hope you don't mind."

"No problem. Come on, Bill, we don't have much time." On the way out Eric passed Isabel and stopped before her, the hatred in his eyes explicit. There were many things he wanted to say to her but there simply was no time. He gave her a chilling smile and then left her, laughing softly to himself as he went.

"Chow and Ginger," Nan called to them from where she sat in front of her laptop, "could you two come here please—I seem to be having some trouble uploading your reports..."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry about what happened back at my place," he said when he finally released her lips from his own.<p>

"No, Sam, I deserved that."

"No, you didn't. I take it back, Tara. I take it all back. Look, I know you're not in love with me...I saw how you looked at Bill. But I promised myself that if..._when_...I saw you again I wouldn't let you out of my sight again without kissing you one last time. I missed that chance in New Orleans, but I wasn't going to miss it tonight. I just wasn't."

"I'm glad that you didn't. I do love you, Sam, that's what makes this all so complicated. And you don't even know how grateful I am that you came to us...came to me, risked your own life? If it wasn't for you Steve Newlin would have..."

"No, don't even say it. Look, I just have to let you go in my own way, that's all. It's gonna take me some time, but I just wanted you to know that I am happy for you. I really am, Tara. When I found out what happened—well, let's just say I had a lot of motivation to make this moment happen," he smiled at her then and hugged her close to him.

"You know, Sam, all I want is for you to be happy, too. Whoever she is she's out there waiting for you—a wonderful woman who will show you so much love you won't even remember a time when she didn't. You deserve that and a hell of a lot more. And you know how we do it in Bon Temps—there's probably two of 'em waitin' for you," she smiled back at him.

"Yeah? Only two?"

They both chuckled softly.

"Well, I tell you what, Tara Mae Thornton, when I find her I'm gonna bring her to you and rub her all in your face. How's that?" he said as he rubbed her nose with his own.

"Yeah," she said as she reached up to push a lock of his shaggy hair out of his eye, "you just do that. I'll be waitin'."

Sam leaned his face closer in to hers again and spoke to her in a whisper. "I will, but until then just let me say this one more time," and he kissed her again with all of the passion he had ever felt for her and more.

"God damn, Sam, this is gettin' dangerous..." Tara said when they finally came up for air and having a hard time trying to catch her breath.

"Yeah, I know. But we're straight now, right?"

"Yeah, we're straight."

"Good. C'mon...looks like our ride just pulled up," he motioned to the front door off in the distance where an Anubis security SUV had just rolled up. "After you, beautiful."

When they got to the vehicle Blackburn and Cromwell were already getting in the back seat.

"What were you two up to over there?" asked Sookie innocently, trying to quell her excitement over the fact that in moments she would see Eric.

"Just checking out the beauty of the place," said Sam as he got in behind her.

"Uh huh," said Jessica to Tara suspiciously but not loudly enough for the others to hear.

"Stop it, I was a good girl..." Tara whispered at her.

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of..." Jessica said as she got in and sat next to her.

It was a quarter to eight pm.

* * *

><p>"This meeting between the the Authority, the American Vampire League and the World Vampire Federation is now in session," came a computerized voice from the screens before them.<p>

At Fangtasia Nan, Bill, Eric and Sarah Newlin were seated at a long table, their laptops open, facing eight large monitors on the wall in the front of the room. Behind them sat Ginger, Chow, Kirsch Blackburn, Duprez and Tara. In the row behind them sat Jessica, Sookie, Sam, Dr. Ludwig and Julian Cromwell. A dozen Authority guards stood at attention with their weapons in hand. In Minsk, Magister Yuriya Kosciuszko sat with several WVF representatives at Kalvaryja, while Andrej, Vitaly, Shashen'Ka and her right hand, Victor, sat watching in her office at Tabah Tosti. Throughout the globe vampires were watching the closed circuit transmission with great intrigue, wagers abounding between them as to whether Russell Edgington was dead or alive and exactly how many heads were going to roll either way.

As before, each Authority delegate was represented by their silhouette issuing forth from their own laptop monitors.

"This meeting will now come to order," came a male delegate's voice from his monitor. "It was the expectation of the Authority forty-eight hours ago that the threat of Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin be eliminated and all U. S. collaborators be thoroughly cleansed within same time period. Please advise as to the status of Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin, vampires. The Authority recognizes Nan Flanagan, United States AVL, who will now give her report."

"Thank you, esteemed Delegates and invitees. It is my great pleasure to report that Russell Edgington and Steve Newlin, vampires, have met the True Death and that all human North American scientists involved in this endeavor and all of their related collaborators, including several Cayman Island financiers, have been eliminated and thoroughly cleansed. The written report was submitted to the Authority at seven forty-five pm, Louisiana time. I also humbly ask at this time that the Authority recognize Sookie Stackhouse, fae/human hybrid, and Sam Merlotte, shape-shifter, both of Louisiana for their particular contributions and assistance in this endeavor; further I would like to recommend them for consideration to be deemed Esteemed Friends of the Authority for as long as they both shall live."

A female delegate's monitor came in to view. "Please enter into the record that North America has been thoroughly cleansed and reports submitted. Please enter into the record that said reports have been received and reviewed and that consideration as to Stackhouse, fae/human hybrid, and Merlotte, shape-shifter, has been taken under advisement and voted upon. Delegates, by a show of hands please answer the following: All those in favor of Stackhouse and Merlotte being deemed Esteemed friends of the Authority, please raise your hand."

On the eight screens every hand was raised in favor.

"All of those not in favor? Please enter into the record that Sookie Stackhouse, fae/human hybrid and Sam Merlotte, shape-shifter and both of Louisiana, have been unanimously deemed by this Delegation as Esteemed Friends of the Authority now and for as long as they both shall live. May we add Miss Stackhouse and Mr. Merlotte that we shall forever be indebted to you and we extend our great appreciation to you. Please stand so that you may be acknowledged."

Sam and Sookie stood up and their faces were then broadcast around the world.

* * *

><p>At Tabah Tosti Shashen'Ka smiled. "Very lovely, indeed."<p>

"Yes, and the girl's not too bad, either. That Eric is quite the lucky bastard," said Andrej as he eyed Sam lustfully.

"You are such a whore, Andrej," Shashen'Ka laughed even as she scolded him.

"Yes, there is that," he smiled devilishly, never taking his eyes off of Sam.

* * *

><p>The delegate continued: "Let it further be entered into the record that any vampire who attempts to harm these two Esteemed Friends of the Authority will be met with immediate punishment by means of the True Death. Thank you, you may be seated."<p>

Sam and Sookie sat down.

Next came another male delegate's silhouette on the screen. "Forty-eight hours ago charges of treason were brought by Magister Yuriya Kosciuszko, Belarus. Trial will now commence in the case of _Authority vs Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five; King Bill Compton, U. S., Louisiana; Sheriff __Isabella Beaumont, U. S. Area Nine; Nan Flanagan, United States AVL and Sarah Newlin, Human. _The Delegation will now hear rebuttals from the afore-mentioned parties and recognizes Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five. Please state to this Delegation how it was that you failed to render the True Death successfully upon Russell Edgington as originally ordered approximately a year ago."

"Esteemed members of the Delegation, I humbly submit that I underestimated the strength of Russell Edgington when I allowed my human pet to unshackle me from Edgington and drag me to safety from the sun."

"Please explain to this Delegation why you did not report to Nan Flanagan upon learning that Edgington had escaped."

"Because I enjoined King Bill Compton to assist me in finding him, which we did days later at his mansion in Mississippi; we subdued him and put a different plan into action." he lied.

"And what, exactly, was this 'plan'?"

"King Bill and I took Edgington to a construction site in Shreveport, Louisiana, silvered and de-fanged him and buried him in twenty feet of wet concrete, where he would still be today had he not come under the spell of Antonia Gavilán de Logroño. I had no idea that the witch's influence extended as far as Shreveport and therefore did not know of his escape until it came to our knowledge that he was working with Steve Newlin and was behind the abductions of Lucas Sewell, Tara Thornton, Jessica Hamby and Sookie Stackhouse."

The delegates cut off their microphones and talked amongst themselves momentarily. In her seat Sookie was glad that she couldn't hear the vampires thoughts. She could never imagine Eric being afraid of anything and to hear him lie so boldly only confirmed to her how fearless he was, but she was afraid for him—she was afraid enough for them all.

The delegates turned their mics back on.

"Thank you, Sheriff Northman, we have no more questions for you. The Delegation recognizes King Bill Compton, U.S., Louisiana. King Compton, are the events related by Sheriff Northman true and correct?"

"Esteemed members of the Delegation, I humbly submit to you that the events as related by Sheriff Northman are true and correct," he lied.

"Thank you, King Compton, we have no more questions for you. The Delegation recognizes Nan Flanagan, United States AVL. Ms. Flanagan, when did you become aware of the fact that Russell Edgington was still alive?"

"Esteemed members of the Delegation, I became aware that Edgington was alive approximately a week ago when I was advised by Dr. Patricia Ludwig that a vampire was the likely suspect behind the abduction of Lucas Sewell and the endeavor to synthesize and antidote to the sun. Upon further discussion Dr. Ludwig noted that there was only one vampire she knew of that might be capable of such a thing and proceeded to confirm with me that the vampire in question, Russell Edgington, had met the True Death in order to rule him out. I was unable to make that confirmation," Nan admitted stiffly. "Edgington's involvement was confirmed several nights after that when I received a call from vampires, Sheriff Blackburn and Julian Cromwell, who were at the nest of Sheriff Isabel Beaumont in Dallas, Texas. Blackburn and Cromwell reported to me that Sarah Newlin, ex-wife of Fellowship of the Sun leader Steve Newlin, had escaped the compound in New Orleans where her ex-husband and Edgington were working together on the antidote and had abducted Tara Thornton, Jessica Hamby and Sookie Stackhouse and was holding them captive. I interviewed Mrs. Newlin that same night. I learned that Sheriff Beaumont was Steve Newlin's Maker, and that Mrs. Newlin had escaped the New Orleans compound and gone to her for help. Sheriff Beaumont responded to Mrs. Newlin by attempting to kill her. Her attempt was thwarted by Julian Cromwell."

"And what was your response to these developments?"

"The strategy for a rescue mission was mounted immediately. Sheriff Isabel Beaumont was silvered and then incarcerated here at Fangtasia awaiting further disposition upon your advice."

"Thank you, Ms. Flanagan, we have no more questions for you. The Delegation recognizes Sarah Newlin, human. Mrs. Newlin, did you or did you not aid your ex-husband in his endeavor to synthesize an antidote to the sun?"

"Uh, hello, uh...Esteemed Delegates," she began nervously. "Yes, I did."

"Please explain your role in that endeavor."

"After Steve was made and abandoned by Isabel he was livid. He also was quite ignorant as to his vampire powers. He determined immediately that he would find out what he needed to know by abducting vampires for study. One night he came back to our old church in Dallas—it was abandoned—but he found Russell Edgington there, badly injured. They helped each other: Steve brought him to the New Orleans compound to heal and Russell taught him things about himself. When Russell learned Steve's plans to study vampires he thought immediately of Sookie Stackhouse and the of the properties of her blood and how she might be the key to an antidote to the sun. Steve and Russell researched the top scientist in the fields of genetics, biochemistry and a whole bunch of other fields I've never even heard of before. The first time they used me was in New Orleans. Steve and I had scoped out two vampires for about a week and a half. We, Steve and I, disguised, acted as lures and when the two vampires took the bait they were silvered and abducted and brought to the compound. But they escaped. Well, one of them escaped and the other died. I felt really horrible about that, I want you all to know," she said as she held back tears.

"After that Steve and Russell sent me, with lots of money, to meet with the scientists they most wanted to recruit. Most of them were located in Europe. In every city I visited I presented myself as an AVL representative canvassing for the Vampire Rights Amendment. I went to youth-oriented organizations and clubs as a cover to legitimize my visits. When they had the team assembled that they wanted they took Sookie. Russell took Ms. Thornton and Ms. Hamby expressly to hurt Bill Compton. By that time I couldn't take anymore. Steve let me go but only because he knew he could find me and kill me anytime that he wanted. I went to Dallas to try and get Isabel to stop him, but she didn't care at all. She tried to kill me. And that's all God's honest truth."

"Thank you, Mrs. Newlin, we have no more questions for you. Please enter into the record that the Delegation has heard all relevant rebuttals and testimony. As to Sheriff Isabel Beaumont, U. S. Area Nine, her case has been reviewed separately from these proceedings. The testimony from Sarah Newlin completes our review and only Sheriff Bdaumont's judgment will be rendered in these proceedings.

"In the case of _Authority vs Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five; King Bill Compton, U. S., Louisiana; Sheriff Isabella Beaumont, U. S. Area Nine; Nan Flanagan, United States AVL and Sarah Newlin, Human, _this Delegation of the Authority does hereby render the following:

"As to Sheriff Eric Northman, U. S. Area Five, this Delegation does not find him guilty of treason. However, this Delegation does find that he was seriously remiss in his duties as an Area Sheriff to report to the Authority the actual disposition of Russell Edgington last year. Because of this, it is the recommendation of this Delegation that Mr. Northman be stripped of his duties as Sheriff of Area five for one year, effective immediately, after which, this Delegation will reconvene to assess possible reinstatement.

"As to King Bill Compton, U. S., Louisiana, this Delegation does not find him guilty of treason. However, this Delegation does find his actions as King seriously negligible in the matter of not alerting the Authority as to the actual disposition of Russell Edgington last year. Because of this, it is the recommendation of this Delegation that he be removed as King of Louisiana effective immediately.

"As to Nan Flanagan, United States AVL, this Delegation does not find her guilty of treason. This Delegation holds Ms. Flanagan in the highest regard as evidenced by her position of National AVL spokesperson and more importantly, as the top ranking Authority liaison in North America. As such, stringent oversight is required in all Authority matters. Because of this and because proper follow-through was not employed in the matter of Russell Edgington, it is the recommendation of this Delegation that she be suspended from her duties for the period of one year, effective immediately. It is further ordered that Ms. Flanagan become a Maker of two humans, a male and a female, the choosing of which is to be determined by this Delegation.

"As to Sarah Newlin, this Delegation would like to thank her for role in attempting to stop Steve Newlin and Russell Edgington. Even though she was not assisted by Sheriff Isabel Beaumont her endeavor led to the Authority being alerted and therefore enjoined in the successful rescue effort of three vampires. Mrs. Newlin, we would like to consider you to be deemed as an Esteemed Friend of the Authority. However, we do not bestow this honor upon humans."

"If I may? I don't understand?" Sarah said as she sat visibly trembling in her seat. "Uh, Sookie Stackhouse and Sam Mertlotte are..."

"Supernaturals, Mrs. Newlin," a female delegate interrupted her. "We can only entrust our secrets to other supernaturals as they would inherently be inclined to hold our best interests unto themselves. In light of your contribution, in which you risked your own human life, we offer to you now the opportunity to join us."

"You mean, become a vampire?"

"Yes, Mrs. Newlin. Should you choose not to we would have no other choice than to kill you."

"What? That's not a choice, at all," she said trying not to completely lose her mind.

"Mrs. Newlin, you have five minutes to give us your answer."

"Alright. I accept," she said frantically, not believing the words that had come out of her mouth.

"In light of Mrs. Newlin's acceptance of our offer, we would like to recommend Nan Flanagan as her Maker. Please enter it into the record."

Nan, already seething from the news that she had to be maker to not one but two progeny, looked at Sarah Newlin and almost began to cry. From her seat it was all that Jessica could do not to burst out loud with laughter.

"This is the damnedest shit I've ever seen in my life," said Sam to Sookie under his breath.

Another male delegate's silhouette came into view of all eight monitors before them.

"As to Isabel Beaumont, Sheriff of Area nine, this Delegation of the Authority finds the following to be true:

That Isabel Beaumont did handle her pet, Hugo Ayers in the most negligible manner possible, which led to the treasonous activity of collaborating with then human Steve Newlin, in the abduction of Godric, former Sheriff of Area Nine, and

That Isabel Beaumont did turn Steve Newlin, an enemy of the Authority, into a vampire and is directly responsible for said vampire's treasonous crimes against the Authority, and

That Isabel Beaumont had the ability to put a stop to Steve Newlin's actions and exercised her clear intent not to do so, therefore

This Delegation of the Authority finds he guilty of Collusion; Fraternization with the Enemy; Irresponsible Human Pet Handling; First Degree Incompetence as a Maker and Treason, and sentences her to the True Death by Impalement and Burning at the Stake."

At that moment Isabel came in to view on all eight screens, naked and bound in silver, held by two tall unearthly-looking vampires. The vampires, both having the ability to fly, raised Isabel up high above a special stone pole and brought her body down upon it so that it speared her anus and exited her skull. Her screams were like none any of the vampires in attendance at Fangtasia had ever heard. Then the two vampires lit the pyre as they all watched her burn.

"Let this be a lesson to all vampires," they heard the last delegate say in warning, "to make your progeny with great care. Anything less will not be tolerated. This trial is now adjourned."


	37. To Be Safe In His Arms

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 37 To Be Safe In His Arms

"Well, that was decidedly an 'Old School' approach," said Julian breaking the stunned silence of all in the room over Isabel's execution, which was still blaring at them.

"I don't know how they expect our numbers to increase after this...I don't even know what to call it," said Blackburn with a shake of his head.

"How about a vampire PSA from hell," Sam offered as he shuddered and then turned away.

"Will someone please turn that off?" said Nan irritatedly. Isabel still burning on eight forty-two-inch high definition monitors was more than getting on her last good nerve.

"We can't—the Authority is still in control of the transmission," said Chow.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she groaned.

The Authority guards began to break down the equipment and return the room to its former condition as everyone else rose from their seats and attempted to regroup.

"Well, Flanagan, you managed to save your ass by the skin of your fangs and live to see another sunset. I hope you've all learned a valuable lesson from this shit. I'm the fuck out of here," grumbled Dr. Ludwig as she headed for the door.

Blackburn went to Bill and offered his regret over the conclusion of the proceedings.

"It was an honor to call you King, Bill," he said simply but honestly.

The others came to him, then, the sincerest among them being Chow, Ginger and Julian Cromwell. Duprez and Kirsch offered their sentiments but were both worried over who would replace him. The territory was three monarchs down, between Louisiana, Mississippi and Dallas; now Dallas and Louisiana needed new Sheriffs, as well. They were both tired of the extra work load.

Eric said nothing, but that did not surprise Bill at all. He and Eric only looked at each other and shared an unspoken understanding. Bill kept his face stern and his facade ever stately, but secretly he could not have been happier and could not help but feel as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from him.

The group was even more sincere in letting Eric know how sorry they were about the Authority's decision to suspend him as Sheriff.

"A year will go by so fast—I can't see them not reinstating you, Eric," said Chow resolutely.

"There is and never will any other Sheriff of Area 5, Eric, at least not one that I will ever recognize, said Ginger vehemently.

"Ginger, I appreciate your passion, but keep it to yourself," he hissed at her as he motioned with his eyes to the two Authority liaisons talking to Nan over by the bar. "Such talk is considered Treason and I will not lose you over such a comment or reaction to it. Whenever they appoint someone, whomever they appoint, you will show the same allegiance as you have shown me. Do you understand?" he said sternly.

"Yes, Eric. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just be careful," he gave her a smirk, _his _smirk, that let her know that his reprimand was serious but that he was not actually angry at her.

"Thank you, we'll be in touch shortly," said Nan to the two liaisons as they concluded their conversation with her and then left Fangtasia. She approached the group then.

"The Authority will be in contact again soon with new territory assignments. That's it for tonight."

"Well, Nan," Bill strolled up to her, "how does it feel to be looking at your first _retired _King?"

She rolled her eyes at him but said nothing.

Sam and Sookie were hanging back waiting for the vampires to conclude their business. Sarah stood with them feeling awkward and lost. She dared to tap Sookie on the shoulder as the vampires broke up, knowing that she had only seconds before she had to go and meet her own fate.

"Sookie, I'm so sorry about what happened between us before, in Dallas," she apologetically but hurriedly.

"Thanks for that, Sarah. Looks like Nan is waiting for you."

"Oh, my God in heaven...I don't believe this is all happening," Sarah said on the verge of tears. Nan approached them then.

"If you cry one more time I swear you'll be sorry and I'll meet the True Death a happy vampire. Shut the fuck up and come on." Nan angrily marched Sarah out to her waiting limo.

Everyone else was saying their goodbyes.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for everything. The worst circumstance of my existence has enabled me to get to know the extraordinary lot of you. I hope you consider me as much a friend as I consider you all. Please call on me any time for any reason, business or pleasure. I am indebted to you all," said Julian Cromwell to everyone in the room, vampire and human. Sookie, Jessica and Tara gave him warm hugs as all the others gave their varying forms of assent. He too then left Fangtasia.

Duprez and Kirsch were next to go, as both of them still had vampire business to attend to in other territories. Jessica and Tara went to Bill, both of them only speaking to him with their eyes.

"I am fine, really," he assured them.

They all became aware that the flames had died on the screens at the front of the room. All that was visible was the stone pole—everything else was ash. Abruptly the closed-circuit transmission ended.

"Finally," said Ginger, greatly relieved. "Let's get those monitors down, Chow..." and they went to do just that.

Standing beside Bill and Tara with her arm about his waist, Jessica looked over at Blackburn. Bill looked at her with great affection and a knowing smile.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go on..." he said. She gave him and Tara both a kiss to the cheek and then went to her vampire beau who had been waiting respectfully and patiently for her. Bill looked at Tara then said softly, "I felt you earlier, you know. Excuse me." He went over to Sam.

"Sam, thank you," he said stiffly and held out his hand.

Sam took it and as they shook hands the two of them made their silent amends with one another. Tara watched, relieved.

"Well, I'm going home," Sam said then.

"Please feel free to avail yourself of the limo waiting for you outside, Sam," Bill offered.

"Thanks, Bill. It's a lovely night out—I think I feel like flying," he said.

Bill, Tara, Sookie and Eric followed him out of Fangtasia into the parking lot. When Eric stepped out into the fresh air he gave it a sniff but said nothing. Sam waved at them all then shifted again into an eagle and took flight gracefully away from them into the night.

As she stood with Bill, his arm draped about her possessively, Tara held back her tears. She wanted to weep with relief and joy and sadness all at once. Bill felt her sharp intake of breath and held her tighter.

"It is a beautiful night," he looked at Tara then. "One of many more beautiful nights to come." He scooped his love up in his arms. They both looked knowingly at Sookie and Eric. "Do not let this one go to waste," he said to them both before he looked back into Tara's eyes. Then he disappeared with her.

"Eric, I..." Sookie began nervously.

"Save it. Your wolf is out here waiting for you."

"What?" she was bewildered.

"Don't act as if you don't know," he said in his cool detached way, not looking at her.

"If he's here, Eric, it's not because I asked him to come. But he is my friend and he's probably just been worried about me, is all."

Eric still would not look at her. "Come out, werewolf," he growled.

Eric and Sookie heard a car door slam and then saw Alcide come from around the corner of the building.

"I thought you might need a ride home, Sookie," he said simply. The two supernatural men stared each other down, Alcide with his arms at his side, his fists curling into balls and Eric with his hands clasped behind him, like a general inspecting his troops before battle.

Sookie didn't want to hurt Alcide, but she really wanted to talk to Eric. She felt that if she didn't clear the air with him that night she would never get a chance again to do so.

"Alcide, I appreciate you, you know that I do, but I really need to talk to Eric," she began delicately.

"Miss Stackhouse, our business is concluded," Eric said officiously. He looked at neither one of them as he took his leave and strode back in to Fangtasia.

To say that she was disappointed was a major understatement. Sookie stood rooted to her spot looking at the door to Fangtasia where just a feet behind it Eric was standing, maybe talking to Chow and Ginger; maybe in his office; maybe just sitting down and taking a moment to finally relax. She wanted to be with him; she wanted to run to the door and pound on it, beg him to open it up to her and let her in. She wanted to touch him. She wanted him to _look_ at her. She wanted to hear her name upon his lips—she wanted to feel his lips upon hers. She wanted to get lost in his strong embrace and just be held. She wanted him so badly that she could taste him. She closed her eyes and began to cry.

Inside Fangtasia Eric waited. He was waiting for her to send the werewolf away. If she would just do that she would have everything she wanted and more.

"Sookie? What is it?" Alcide approached her, walked around her to face her. He saw her tears and automatically hugged her to him, happy that she was safe and in his arms.

It was a sin how good Alcide felt holding her. For the first time ever she felt the hardness of him against her that was not just the wall of muscles that comprised his body, but the special hardness that was actively seeking her out.

"Alcide, please stop," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Sookie. What the fuck...no I'm not. I just want to be with you, Sookie. I'm so glad you're alright that you just don't know."

"Alcide, I can't. And I don't want to lead you on..."

"You're not leadin' me on. You've never been anything but honest with me and I appreciate you for it."

"Then please just take me home. I can't...I just need to go home."

"Never mind what you feel down there—I'm sorry about that," he said with a smile, "that's all I came to do is take you home. I promise. C'mon," he walked her to his truck and they left.


	38. Pas de Deux

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 38 Pas de Deux

Elsewhere in the night Jessica and Blackburn sat cozied up in a booth at a high-end Shreveport strip club.

"Mmm, she looks good," said Jessica of the stunning chestnut-haired beauty that was dancing on one of three stages. "What's your preference, anyway?" she asked after she gave him a sweet hungry kiss upon his cold lips.

He looked at her and smiled. "I prefer wild, fun-loving, blood-crazy redheads..." he kissed her back savagely. "Besides, it's not about what I want. It's all about you, Jess."

Even though she felt compromised by her ever-rejuvenating hymen she preferred having sex with men. Jessica had never made love to a woman before. She'd eat anybody in a pinch but she always leaned towards men as victims, as well, because she enjoyed over-powering them and it added yet another layer to the intense blood orgasm that came with the kill. When they had decided to make a total experience out of their first kill together it had been Jessica's idea to get a woman. Which had pleased Blackburn, but not for the obvious reason. Jessica was an enthusiastic lover but still a bit of a novice. The advent of sharing her sex with another man excited him greatly, but he felt she needed more experience before she gave that one a whirl and had delicately told her so. She had not only appreciated his concern but admitted that she agreed with him completely.

As far as choosing a woman was going, it was proving to be a very hard decision. Every woman they had seen had been unique and runway-gorgeous in her own right. It was like being a kid in a candy store and Jessica was simply overwhelmed by all of the delicious varieties.

"We're not leaving here until you choose one or sunrise, whichever comes first, Jess," he said with mock impatience as he stretched his arms out across the top of the booth. She gave up then, trying to choose based on any one's given beauty, and decided to choose her victim based on the sexiest outfit she was wearing. That made it a lot easier.

"That one," she said as she pointed discreetly to a sweet little beauty with a mass of jet black long loosely-curled hair.

"Really?" said Blackburn, more than intrigued by her choice.

She was a buxom babe who couldn't have been more than twenty years old. Her natural young thirty-four C breasts were adorned with red heart-shaped pasties and perfectly showcased in a black cupless corset with a ruffled hem piped in pink that stopped just above her crotchless, g-stringed cunt. Adding further to the naughtiness were a pair of sheer sexy thigh-high hose attached by a pink garter and a pair of black and red fur four-inch red-soled fuck-me pumps.

"I'm warning you now, don't spill a drop of blood on that outfit—it's going to be mine," she warned him with a sinful look in her eyes.

"Oh, baby, that's what I'm talkin' about," he said as he reached out a hand to grab her neck and pull her face closer to his for another kiss. "Go get 'er, baby," he said when they came up for air.

* * *

><p>Back in Bon Temps Sam arrived at his trailer mentally exhausted. The flight in had been refreshing and unhurried but he was glad to be home. All he wanted to do was pass out in his bed. He walked up the steps and immediately bristled: the door was ajar.<p>

"I know someone's in there...I have a gun!" he yelled out. He was prepared to shift into a panther and kill whoever was inside but as he entered the door he caught the scent of another shifter.

"Don't shoot, Sam! It's me!"

Sam turned on the light and standing before him in tears was his brother Tommy.

* * *

><p>Alcide and Sookie arrived at her house to find it locked up and intact. When Russell's goons had abducted her she was on the porch about to go in.<p>

"Damn, I know I dropped my keys that night when...when they got me, but I sure don't see them now," she said as she searched the floor. She got down on her hands and knees to look under the wicker chair but found nothing.

"Hey Sookie," Alcide said as he reached out his hand to pull her up, "I can get you in and I won't even have to break a window," he said with a smile. "Look..." he pointed to her bedroom window which was cracked open. "Hold on, I'll be right back." Alcide easily scaled the house up to her window, raised it and went in. Moments later he opened her door for her.

"Wow, thanks so much, Alcide. You're so sweet."

"Yeah, sweet. Thanks." he smiled down at her.

"Okay, how about...incredibly heroic—that better?"

"Much. Oh, wait a minute..." he ran to his truck and came back quickly. "Here, you almost forgot Sam's clothes."

"Thanks. It must be a pain leaving perfectly good clothes all over creation when you shift. I go crazy just forgettin' my sweater at work—how in the world do you stand it?"

"Depends. When you plan on shiftin' you take 'em off and hide them, then come back to where you left from and get dressed again. When it's not planned it's you and the breeze and what the good Lord gave you when you first came into the world. In which case you get your ass home and shift in front of your damn closet." They both laughed as they went into the house together.

"Have a seat. Can I get you anything?"

Alcide smiled at her knowingly but said nothing as he sat on the couch.

"Well, I do appreciate you bringing me all the way home. And getting me into my house. Without you I'd be sleeping on the porch tonight."

"No way—you would have gotten in."

"I'm having a big dinner tomorrow and I want you and Janice to come. I'm bringing Gran back into this house. She used to cook big Sunday dinners and have all the holiday parties. But I'm not waitin' until Sunday. I want to surprise Jason after work. It'll be him and his kids..."

"His kids?" Alcide did a double-take."

"Lord, that's...right. He kind of adopted some kids from Hotshot," she caught herself. "Real sweethearts they are, too."

"Really? You're shittin' me..."

"Alcide," she scolded him.

"I'm sorry, that's just real surprising."

"Anyway, I just want to celebrate. I'm going to cook all day...all the wonderful things my Gran taught me. So, my cousin and her boy; Lafayette, Jesus and Mrs. Reynolds; Hoyt; Sam; hopefully Sheriff Jones and her boyfriend. Ta..." she stopped as it hit her that Tara would never be a part of her daylight life ever again.

"Sookie, you okay?"

Sookie composed herself. "I will be. In time. Anyway, will you come?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Great. Well, I guess I should get some sleep."

"Are you really okay? I could sleep down here, I promise I'd stay out of your way," he said softly as he took her hand in his and kissed it.

"Okay, that's a mixed signal worthy of an Academy Award, or something, Alcide Herveaux. Now you _know_ you have to go home, for sure." Her smile was sweet but tinged with a bit of sadness.

"Sookie..." he pleaded.

"Alcide, I appreciate you, but you go on home," she said firmly.

"Alright, fine—be like that," he kissed her forehead. What time is dinner tomorrow?"

"Seven sharp."

Alcide rose reluctantly from the couch. Sookie walked him to the door.

"Good night, Sookie."

"Good night, Alcide."

He lingered for a moment and finally left her. When his truck pulled away she closed and locked the door.

* * *

><p>"Tommy, where have you been, boy? I know you probably don't believe it, but I was worried about you," Sam said after he released him from a strong hug. "Let me get some damn clothes on," he rushed away to his room to get some pants.<p>

"Where you been, Sam?" Tommy asked, still shaken and in disbelief that Sam was happy to see him.

"It's a long ass story, man," Sam said when he returned to the room. "You don't look so good—where have you been?"

"I didn't know where to go. I just been wanderin' around. Got picked up by the Pound twice. Second time they was about to put me to sleep. I almost let 'em."

"Fuck, Tommy. Look, I don't fucking care about what happened with Luna. It's over, anyway. And even if it wasn't we'd all just have to get the fuck past it. You're my blood and I've done you wrong, Tommy."

"No, Sam, it was all me. I'm no good," he started to sob.

"That's a fuckin' lie. But as long as you believe it it's the only truth you'll know. I know it's not true. You have to know it's not true. You ain't had no break in life at all, Tommy. Even when you were just surviving do you realize that you were carryin' two other people? People who were supposed to carry and look out for you? Give yourself some credit. I know I gave up on you, more than once, and I hope to God someday you'll forgive me for that. I just want to make it up to you and I know that I can if you let me. We have each other. I'm not gonna let you down again, Tommy. And what the hell were you thinking, going to see Marcus as me?"

"I owed you, Sam. I wanted to die," he admitted to them both.

"Well, Marcus is fuckin' dead. And that's too good for his ass. You hear me? And no more skin-walking—that shit'll kill you if you do it too many times. I suspect you wouldn't be here now if you'd done it much more."

"I ain't. Not since I was you."

"I know a special doctor, she treats supernaturals. I'm taking you to her, now. C'mon," Sam said as he lifted his little brother into his arms and headed to his truck to take Tommy to see Dr. Ludwig, who had given him and Sookie her business card before the trial started.

* * *

><p>In a motel room in Shreveport, Blackburn sat on a king-sized bed as the beautiful stripper sat naked on his lap while Jessica massaged him from behind. He was sucking on the dark-haired vixen's generous breasts as Jessica rose above him to meet the girl and kiss her passionately upon her waiting mouth. They all broke away from each other and then Blackburn laid her down upon the bed. He waited for Jessica as he positioned himself at the headboard with the girls head near his lap.<p>

Jessica was curious about her own inner workings so she explored the girl's vagina and looked at it with wonder once she spread her legs apart. She'd had it done to her by Jason and loved every minute of it so she lowered her mouth upon the sweet girl's wet pussy and let her tongue do the rest of the exploring. The girl tasted good. Jessica loved the feel of a strong man in her hands and upon her body but the feeling of a soft pliable woman was nothing to be sneezed at. She felt like she was in a wonderland of perfect flesh. She raised up from her and gave Blackburn a sensuous kiss before she settled her attention on the girl's heavenly twin mounds, which she suckled and massaged and completely lost herself in. Above them Blackburn eased his cock into the girls mouth and rode her as he watched his lover pleasure the girl with wild abandon, their moans of lust and great satisfaction sounding as harmonious as a symphony; a carnal symphony.

Finally, Blackburn slid down as Jessica slid up beside the girl and they met over her breasts and kissed each other before they took their turn kissing her. They looked at one another to confirm that the moment was right as the girl waited for more pleasure and then plunged their fangs into her together to drink her exquisite blood, stopping for just a moment to share a bloody kiss and then returned to the fount that was her neck. As the girl's life began to ebb away and through her feeble attempts to fight them off Jessica lost herself even more in the blood orgasm. When they were done she rose up in a swoon, gripping her own body in delight as she rubbed the girl's blood over her belly, between her legs, over her own breasts as if it was a luxurious body lotion and then Blackburn joined her, amazed and eager to share in her delight. He vowed then and there that he would never let her get away from him, ecstatic that he had found the vampire of his dreams.

* * *

><p>She looked around her grandmother's lovely restored house and thanked God silently that she was back in it. She looked then at Eric's hidden cubby entrance and tears began to well up in her eyes.<p>

"Sookie Fucking Stackhouse, you will _not _cry again tonight, damn it!" she yelled out loud at herself. "NOT!" She ran upstairs to her bedroom.

She was about to take her clothes off for a shower when she noticed her bed was all rumpled and a pillow was missing. She took off like a shot and ran down to Eric's cubby. She pushed back the hidden door and climbed down. When she got inside she found her pillow, streaked with blood and the sheets on his bed, as well.

"Well, it certainly took you long enough," came his sexy, distinctive, familiar voice that cut through the air like a hot knife through butter.

She wheeled around and there he was, leaning against the wall with his big arms crossed over his broad chest.

"How long have you been in the house?"

"Long enough to catch the act upstairs. Parting is such sweet sorrow, isn't it?" he mocked her.

"What is this all about?" she shot back at him as she thrust her pillow at him.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?"

"Do not talk to me like that, Eric Northman."

He thrust himself off the wall then, and was behind her, then leaned down and whispered seductively in her ear slowly, "How. The fuck. Am I supposed to know...you tell me..."

His voice was making her melt; his nearness was causing her to sink back in to him, hoping his arms would catch her. They did. But then he pushed her away and turned her to face him.

"Why didn't you let him stay? He wants to get in your pants in the worst way, you know."

"You used to want to get in my pants, Eric Northman." That surprised him.

"Yes, that's true," he said as he raised an eyebrow at her but gave her nothing else to go on.

"But I guess all of that went out the window when your memory came back. So why are you even here?"

Eric said nothing.

"You know, all I could think about today—I mean aside from the horror of the last few days—was you," she said in disbelief of her own self. "And why? You really don't care about me at all, do you? You're too busy proving the point of being you to care about anything else. Especially me. Fine, Eric, be you. But do it away from me. For good. I promise I'll never bother you again if you just get this shithole out of my house and never come back here again."

He looked at her with a challenge in his eyes, but did not speak for a long while. "It's my house," he said finally, calm and unperturbed as ever.

Sookie screamed out in exasperation and anguish as one hand went up, her palm turned out to him. She hurled a fireball at him that he easily dodged but blasted a hole in the wall.

"There it is. Do you understand now?"

"Understand what?" she screamed at him.

"You're a killer, just like me."

"I am not a monster!"

"I said you're a _killer_, not a monster, Sookie, just like me. When you understand what that really means then we can get somewhere in this relationship."

"What fucking relationship?" she raged at him.

"The relationship we are destined to have. But only if you accept a few certain truths. This is what I am."

"But that's not all you are," she said, trying to calm herself down and keep from crying. She sank to her knees then and gave herself over to the tears.

"The same can be said of you. But I accept you for all that you are and I always have. Get up and look at me," he commanded her as he held out his hand to help her up. When she finally faced him he continued, speaking to her softly, but firmly. "You have not always been accepting of me. When I was under the spell of Antonia Gavilán de Logroño you said you loved me. How could you have, really? I was a shadow of myself. I was a _zombie_. You loved me before that but would never admit it. Well, there are some things I would never admit before, as well. I can now. I will never be the Eric you came to love under the spell of a witch. Never. But I do love you, Miss Sookie Stackhouse. I care about you deeply and you know this. I want you. I accept all of you, as I always did.

"You are an exquisite killer, just like me, and I love you for it. You could not have escaped Russell Edgington had you not been. How many times have you saved us? More times than we've ever saved you, even from yourself. But I'd love you just as much if you were not. I love everything about you; your strengths as well as your weaknesses; the human and the fae; the genteel Southern lady and the warrior. I love it all. I want it all. I want you forever—you know what that means. I wish you felt the same. But since you do not, I will bother you no more." And then he was gone.


	39. A Gran Party

I don't own Cole Porter's _"Night and Day"_.

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 39 A Gran Party

She knew that there were many layers to her man and she was ecstatic over the one that he had peeled back for her when they got home.

"Do you know how long it has been since I have played the piano, Tara?"

Tara sat next to Bill on the piano bench delighted beyond measure. He smiled at her as he played a Porter tune that transported her to the thirties and made her want to put on a beautiful white satin gown and waltz across the room with him. She hummed along to it as she swayed to the beautiful lilting melody.

"No, how long?" she smiled at him, finding his joy to be as infectious as the music he was serenading her with.

"I brought this piano into the house over a year ago and this is the first time I have sat on this bench to do anything more than dust the keys," he said as he continued to play flawlessly.

"You really are happy not to be King anymore, aren't you?" she beamed at him.

"I really am, Tara. I am free. Free to enjoy our family. Free to be with you without a thousand other things taking my time away from you. We are going to travel, my love, anywhere you desire to go. Where do you want to go first?"

"I don't care as long as we're together," she said dreamily as she looked into his eyes, still swaying to the timeless beauty of the music.

He finished the lovely piece and Tara applauded him with a long sultry kiss. "That's our song, baby," she said.

"I did so enjoy the Thirties, Lorena not withstanding, that is. The music was absolutely sublime," he said wistfully. Bill rose from the bench, pulled her up with him and swayed with her to the music they could both still hear.

"If you had it to do all over again..." the look on his face was as serious then as the tone of his voice and in his eyes was the recognition of all she had been through because of him and how sorry he was for all of it.

She flashed her hundred kilowatt smile at him and sang to him sweetly through it as they continued to sway:

"_Night and day, Night and day  
>Under the hide of me<br>There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me  
>And its torment won't be through<br>'Til you let me spend my life making love to you  
>Day and night, night and day<em>"

Tara laid her hear upon his shoulder and hugged him tightly to her. "Never, never ask me that question again, William Thomas Compton." Bill took her chin in his hand and raised it so that her lips could meet his own and showered his gratitude upon her with a deep soulful kiss.

* * *

><p>Sookie found it more than hard to get to sleep after Eric had left her. She lay in her bed trying desperately not to think but his words would not leave her head. He said that he loved her, all of her; the human, the fae—the killer. He wanted her to be his, not just as his human object of affection but as a vampire equal. As a vampire. Her. Sookie Stackhouse, who loved her sunbaths; and the sunlight streaking her blond locks blonder. Her, Sookie Stackhouse, who could shoot light through her fingertips. How would that even work? What kind of vampire would she be? Would her fae powers work anymore? Be enhanced, somehow? Would her vampiric nature be overtaken by the fae or the fae taken over by her vampiric one and her powers nullified completely? And how was it that she was even entertaining the notion enough to be thinking such things, at all?<p>

Somewhere in the three o'clock hour she fell asleep. When the sunlight came through her window and kissed the tips of her eyelashes she awoke with a start. Her first thought was of the handsome undead Viking as she wondered where he had gone to ground. She wanted to imagine him asleep but had no idea where he was and so could not picture him thereby comforting herself. She had absolutely no point of reference for him and it was driving her to great distraction.

She got out of bed and called her brother.

"Hey, Jason, good morning."

"Hey, Sook, honey. Did you get yourself a good night's rest, darlin'?"

"I got some sleep. How about you?"

"God, girl, I feel better than I have in a long, long time, now that you're home." Sookie could hear his smile through the phone as well as see it. "What's up?"

"Do you still have that SUV you rented to come to Shreveport?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to turn it in today at ten am. Why?"

"Jason, I'd be happy to pay for another day on it—could you leave it with Hadley and the kids so that they could come over here and visit with me today?"

"Hell yeah! That's so sweet of you, Sook. They would all love that."

"Great. I'm gonna get dressed and come over to help Hadley get everybody ready—let her know, okay?"

"Damn sure will—she's up right now helping me feed Michelle and Corbett. I won't be here when you get here, though, I gotta go to work."

"I know. But you come here straight after—you hear?"

"Okay, done, sis."

"Okay, kiss everybody for me...I'm on my way."

* * *

><p>When Sookie got to Jason's house Hunter opened the for her and gave her big warm hug.<p>

"Aunt Sookie!"

"Good morning, baby! Don't you look handsome today?" she kissed his cheek and scooped him up. She walked in to find Timbo and Becky up and dressed and excited to see her, as well.

"Hey, Miss Sookie," they both chimed at her. Sookie set Hunter down.

"Well, I gotta say, y'all look good enough to eat. Come on over here and hug my neck..." she held out her arms to them and they both rushed over to her. "Look, none of this 'Miss Sookie' stuff—it's aunt Sookie, you got that?" she said as she released them from her warm embrace. They both nodded happily.

Becky started to cry. "We ain't never had nothin' like a family like this, Miss...I mean, aunt Sookie. Thank you for..."

"Well, you do, now, Becky. And don't thank me. Thank you for getting yourselves here safe and allowing us to be a part of you," Sookie cut her off. Becky hugged her again. When she stopped crying Sookie grabbed a handkerchief from her purse, which she always carried several of at that point, and wiped the lovely girl's tears away. "Now, where are those babies?"

"Hey, Sook!" said Hadley as she came out of the bedroom with little Michelle in her arms. "Corbett is asleep, but I still need to dress him."

"I'm on it," Sookie said as she gave her cousin's cheek a kiss in passing on the way to get her nephew.

"Hey, Hadley?" Sookie called from the bedroom.

"Yeah?"

"I want to have a surprise dinner party for Jason. I want to celebrate everybody and everything—you, him, the kids, bein' home...everything...I promise you don't have to cook. You just come over, sit, relax and keep me company while I'm in the kitchen. I gotta stop at the store first, though, okay?"

Hadley came in the room where her cousin was dressing baby Corbett and put Michelle in her crib before she went to her and kissed her cousin's cheek. "I got Gran's pecan pie. And the cornbread. And the fried catfish," she smiled at her.

* * *

><p>The trip to the grocery store had been almost sad as well as hilarious. Timbo and Becky had never been in one before, had never been aware that there were so many other things on the planet to eat aside from squirrels and other live animals. They finally got all the groceries bought and the kids corralled and on to Sookie's place to get it all started.<p>

"Well, guys, I don't have a lot of new-fangled electronic games and stuff, but I got a ton of board games, books and a huge front yard. Y'all want to grab some books and go outside and form a little reading circle maybe?"

"Aw, we can't read none, Mi...aunt Sookie," said Timbo sadly.

"I can!" said Hunter excitedly. "I can read and make up good stories and you guys can help me!"

"That sounds like fun, huh Timbo? We like stories," said Becky.

"And if you guys get tired of that I've got a beach ball and some jump ropes...it's kind of old school around here, but there's a whole lot of ways to have fun," Sookie told them with a smile.

"Or maybe they want to dance," said Hadley as she turned on the radio to Bon Temps only pop station. "Me, I'm a channel surfer—I'll listen to anything that keeps my feet moving," she said as she danced along to the first song she heard. "Now you guys..."

"Uh, I don't know nothin' about dancin', Miss Hadley," said Timbo awkwardly.

"Cousin Hadley, dude. And you don't have to know anything, just move your feet and your body however the music makes you feel. Y'all give it whirl while we get started cooking."

Sookie and Hadley left them then to settle the babies in their carriers in the kitchen and get started cooking.

"Oh, I almost forgot—I've got a few phone calls to make," Sookie said she jumped up out of her chair and went to the phone. Twenty minutes later she was back at the table with Hadley picking fresh green beans."

"Alright, all set. Kenya and her boyfriend are coming, Lafayette, Jesus, Mrs. Reynolds, Hoyt, Sam—and his brother, Tommy!"

"Sam has a brother?"

"He sure does. He's been a bit of a troublemaker, but I think at heart he's really a sweet boy. He's had a rough life—they didn't grow up together. And Sam sounded super happy, so I'm thinkin' it's a good thing. Oh, and Alcide and his sister Janice are coming, too. I'm sure I'm forgettin' somebody...hell, it doesn't matter. I told Kenya to pass the word that anybody who wants to come by is welcomed."

"Who are Alcide and Janice?"

"They're werewolves. Sweetest people you'll ever meet."

"Is this really our town, Sookie?"

"Yep."

"I talked to Remy," Hadley said after a while.

"Yeah? When?"

"The night before you got home."

"How did that go?"

"Just like Jason said it would—of course he was glad to talk to Hunter...he was even glad to talk to me."

"Oh, sweetie, that's great. Where's he been?"

"Well, worried sick about us but still working the docks in the Gulf. He wants us to come back and stay to here, told me I didn't need to run anymore. That was before I even told him about everything that was going on."

"He always loved you, Hadley. I don't think anything in the world could ever make him stop."

"Well, I don't know about that."

"I do."

Hadley looked at her cousin with much love in her eyes.

"Well, that's two requests to come back here and stay."

"Three," Sookie took her cousin's hand into her own and squeezed it.

"Sook," Hadley began uneasily.

"Yeah?"

"I need some advice about Hunter. I mean, I know how hard it was for you growing up, and no disrespect to uncle Corbett and aunt Michelle, but they didn't make it any easier."

"That's true," Sookie said simply.

"I've been a bad mother, Sookie. I've got a lot of makin' up to do with my son. And I can see that it's not easy for him, being a telepath. But I want Hunter to know that I love him; I want to be a good mother. I want him to know that he's fine, he's okay, that there ain't nothing wrong with him at all. Please Sookie, tell me all the things...any of the things your momma and daddy could have done for you if they'd just known better."

"Look at you..." Sookie beamed at her. "Hadley, you are a good mother. Hunter is the luckiest boy in the world to have you for a mother. I can tell you, when momma used to be afraid, I always wished that she would have just been honest about it with me, no matter how little I was, she could have explained things to me more—both of them—anything at all that they understood, even if they didn't understand everything. And that's what hurt the most, later, anyway—when I found out that they knew so much more than they ever tried to tell me.

"A lot of stuff that scared me? Made me feel so bad about myself? If they'd just sat me down and told me what they did know it would have helped, more than you know. So be honest with him, first and foremost. Always. When you do that, he'll put his fear aside and you'll always be able to reach him and he'll always be secure in the knowledge that he can reach out to you. And don't freak if he gets in your head, it's never intentional at that age. You'll be able to teach him a lot better if you keep your cool about that. Besides, it's not really about him getting into other people's heads as much as it is about his head being bombarded by the unwelcomed thoughts of others. Do you understand?"

Hadley got up from the table and gave Sookie a grateful embrace, which Sookie returned, cradling her cousin with great strength and love, as a mother would her precious child. "Look, I know Jason's offered for you to stay with him, but the same offer goes for here, as well. You know the layout of the place—you and Hunter can stay here as long as you want. You can get on your feet, find a job, move when you want to or not at all. We' re a family and we're not separating anymore. Unless, that is, you and Remy get back together. But no more running, just like Remy said. Deal?"

"Deal."

* * *

><p>By seven that evening the feast was prepared and everyone was at Sookie's waiting for Jason. Kenya had maintained the surprise by delaying Jason at work twenty minutes by asking him to file another report while she quietly skipped out and high-tailed it to meet her boyfriend at Sookie's. Some of the guests were able to hide their cars in back of the house but there were enough out front still to alert him to see that something was going on when he got there at seven-thirty. All of the lights were out, though, and he called to his sister as he knocked on the door.<p>

"Sook? Sookie!" He tried the door and it opened easily. He went into Sheriff mode and drew his gun before he entered. As soon as he stepped in he heard them all.

"SURPRISE!"

"Oh, Sweet Jesus!" he jumped. "What the hell?"

"Jason, put that thing away," ordered Andy Bellefleur. The lights came on and everyone came in to view, and Jason promptly did just that as a wide grin formed on his face.

"Hey, everybody!"

Sookie approached him then and gave him a big kiss on his cheek.

"Hey, Jason. I just felt like a party. Get on in here and let's eat, everybody!"

By all accounts the party was a success and a much needed means for everyone to reconnect with one another. Those who hadn't been able to come for dinner came for dessert so the food and the fun had been more than plentiful. Even Tara and Bill came by to join in the celebration. Sookie surveyed all the people in her house and was filled with love for them all. They were all, at their core, good people and each one of them had overcome some adversity at one time or another and been ever-supportive of one another.

She knew, looking at them all, that she and Jason would be alright. But she had to ask herself the question if she could give it all up. Could she give it all up? Give up the prospect of life with a man who could give her babies? But there were babies in her life: little Michelle and Corbett as well as the older children: Timbo, Becky and Hunter. This was her family. Nothing would ever change that. She looked over at Bill then, who was showing Hunter his corny missing thumb trick; and then she saw Tara cradling Corbett in her arms with awe and wonder as Jason looked on proudly. So, there could still be babies. Just not her own.

Could she give up a life in the sun? Again she looked at Bill and Tara. They looked ecstatic. They were still able to share their lives with those they loved. Tara being a vampire did not keep her from Ruby Jean's warm embrace or fellowship with her cousin. They were actually closer than ever. Tara saw her looking her way and came to join her. They hugged and lingered in each others embrace for a long moment.

"I missed you today, Tara. While Hadley and I were getting the meal prepared I kept thinking 'Tara's gonna pop over here any minute now and eat up all the pecans before I can put 'em on the pie.'"

Both women laughed softly.

"You look really happy," Sookie said to her then.

"I am, Sook. We're flying out to Miami in about two hours for a moonlight picnic," Tara beamed at her friend.

"Wow, how romantic. I'm so happy for you both."

"Yeah? Then why do you look so sad, Sookie Stackhouse? It's the Viking, isn't it?" It was a statement, not a question.

"Damn, you know me too well."

"Yeah, I do. So, what's he done, now?" Tara asked angrily.

"He told me he loved me. All of me and as an equal. He told me he wants me to be his. Forever."

"Sookie? Really? What did you say?"

"I didn't know what to say. I still don't know what to say."

"What does your heart tell you?"

"I can't trust my fucking heart on this one."

"What does your head tell you?"

"That it wants to blow up."

"What does your gut tell you?"

"It's in knots. The things he said to me, Tara. He called me an exquisite killer. As a compliment, no less."

"You are an exquisite killer. You saved not just our lives in New Orleans, Sookie, but the lives of countless others, human and vampire alike, because you stopped Russell Edgington and those maniacal scientists. You. I know he admires that. Everyone does. And there's a whole hell of a lot of other reasons to love you, so I feel him on that."

Sookie blushed.

"You know, you two have been fighting each other an awfully long time. I may be biased, but why don't you both just give up the fucking ghost, already. Really."

"It's the only other thing I've been thinking about all night, Tara. Besides how happy I am that all of my family and friends are here."

"Then Sookie, just keep thinking long and hard and stay true to yourself. You don't have a gun to your head. I know that you'll make the best decision for yourself and when you do you'll feel good about it. That's a guarantee. And if I know the Viking at all, he'll wait for you to make that decision and respect whatever it may be. So chill, enjoy this..." Tara said as she directed Sookie's attention to all the love that was filling up her house. "The answer will come when the time is right and not a moment before. You know that I love you and I'm wishing the best for you, always."

Sookie hugged her best friend again. Just then Holly walked over to them.

"Ladies, if you'll excuse me, I see Sam and I need to give him something." Sookie left them both with a smile.

"Tara, let me just say right off, I'm so happy you're here and okay. And I'm sorry for being a total ass that night at Merlotte's." she began hurriedly.

"Holly, shut up and give me a hug, already," Tara said when she opened her arms to her.

Sookie grabbed a shopping bag from the coffee table and took it to Sam who was at the front door.

"Sam, Tommy, hey! I'm so glad y'all made it!"

"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," Sam said as he hugged her.

"Hey, Sookie, thanks for inviting me," said Tommy sheepishly.

"Quit that, now," she hugged him. "Sam, I wanted to give you these...from the other night?"

"Oh, hey, thanks," he said as he took the little shopping bag from her. "Wow, washed and pressed—what do I owe you?" he joked after he looked and saw his fresh clothes inside.

"A hug and a kiss."

"I got that," he said as he paid up.

"Now go on, go get some food. I want it all eaten up or I'll think you don't like my cookin'."

"Go ahead, Tommy, I'm just gonna run these out to the truck," said Sam.

Sookie watched Sam go out of the door as another man walked in who made her heart stop in her throat. Someone else called to him before she could get his name out of her mouth.

"Daddy! Daddy!" cried Hunter frantically as he ran to Remy Savoy. Remy scooped up his boy and hugged him tight, then gave the top of his head a kiss.

"Sookie, how you been, chére?"

"I've been okay, but I'm getting' better and better by the minute," she smiled up at him.

"Hunter? Hunter? Come back and finish your..." Hadley had been chasing after her boy to come back and finish his plate. When she saw him in the arms of his father she stopped dead in her tracks.

Remy smiled at her.

"You, come here, you..." he held out a hand to her.

In a corner where Lafayette and Jesus were talking quietly, Jesus elbowed his love.

"Oh Lawd, it's poppin' off like a _motherfucka_ in Bon Temps tonight..." said Lafayette, his mouth curled up at the corner, a sexy smile on his perfect lips as he looked at the reunion happening at the front door. Sookie joined them then.

"Lafayette, you see that?" Sookie said happily.

"Sho nuf. But calm yoself, girlfriend, they got some major shit to work out."

"I know, but I'm sendin' them all my positive thoughts." Jesus and Lafayette cut their eyes at one another and both smiled broadly.

"And that's one reason we love you so much, my baby," said Ruby Jean as she walked over gracefully and took Sookie in her arms. Tommy walked over then looking like he still felt like a fish out of water.

"And who is this?"

"Oh, Miss Ruby Jean Reynolds, this is Tommy Merlotte, Sam's brother. Tommy, Miss Ruby Jean is Lafayette's mother," Sookie introduced them.

"Come on over here, boy, and give me a hug. Oh yes, this is a special one, here. Thomas Full of Grace. I see miles and miles of good things ahead of you...miles and miles. Come sit down an talk to me, young man," she said as she led him to the couch. Tommy was a little taken aback but instantly warmed by her at the same time. Caught up in the spell of her warmth and positive words he followed her happily to the couch.

"Well, Tara, I think we should be going," said Bill as he took her hand and kissed the back of it gingerly.

"Yeah, I think you're right. I can't believe this is going to be my first time on a plane," she said excitedly.

"And I can not believe I will be seated _on_ the plane instead of stored in the cargo hold," Bill joked. Tara let out a hearty laugh as they prepared to go. They said their good night's to one and all and then Sookie went with them to the front door.

"Thank you for a most lovely evening, Miss Stackhouse," Bill said as he hugged her to him. "You have done great honor to the fine memory your Grandmother tonight. I felt her as soon as I passed through this door."

"Thank you, Bill. It's good to have her back. You two get on outta here before you miss your plane. I love you both." The three of them hugged each other and then they were gone. Andy and Holly were the next to leave.

"Sookie, I don't know when we've all had such a joyous time. Thank you, honey, for everything. We're going to get these three on home," he said of Lisa, Coby and Mikey, "before their momma calls out the Guard. Arlene really wanted to come, but she ain't been feeling too good, and you know how Terry dotes on her."

"You just give her my love, both of them, and your Gran, too. I'll come see her. Just tell her I'll call to find out when is good for her, okay?"

"Will do."

"Can Hunter come over to play with us sometime, Miss Sookie?" asked Coby.

"You'll have to ask his momma...and yours, first. But I bet they'll both say yes, hear?"

"Okay. Goodnight, Miss Sookie."

"Goodnight, Sookie, thank you for a real lovely time," Holly said and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight...y'all get home safe." Sookie waved to them as they left.

Sookie stepped out for some fresh air and found Sam and Alcide drinking beers together by Sam's truck.

"Hey, you," said Sam as she approached them.

"Hey."

"Hi, Sookie," Alcide smiled at her. "Janice really wanted to come, but my dad's been awful sick," he explained.

"Well, next time, then. I plan on having a lot more parties."

"Cool. This one was pretty great."

"Thanks."

"Uh, I think I'll go in and grab another beer," said Sam awkwardly.

"No, don't go, I just wanted to say hey, is all. You two carry on with your guy time," Sookie smiled at them both and left before Alcide could protest.

When she got back to the porch she could see everyone inside preparing to leave. She went to Jason in the kitchen.

"Jason, Hoyt never showed?" she said as she helped him get the babies dressed for the cool night air.

"No...I think he thought Jessica might be here."

"Where's Hadley and Hunter?"

"Remy got a room somewhere..." Jason smiled and gave her a look.

"You gonna be okay getting everybody back?"

"Yeah. Actually, I could take the SUV and get my truck later. Looks like I need one of those now, huh? Or maybe some cool sporty crossover...I got kids to haul, now."

"Yep, you sure do. Well, call me when you need to return it, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Kenya gave me tomorrow off, so we can all hook up and do something, huh?"

"Sure. I'll go get Becky and Timbo for you."

Not much longer after that Sookie stood on her porch and waved goodbye as they all caravaned away. Alcide was the last to go.

"Sookie..."

"Alcide, thanks for coming." She gave him a chaste hug and a firm look. He went on down the steps, got in his truck and drove off.

Sookie stood on her porch and looked into night sky, wondering. _An eternity of these with the man I love at my side_. She wondered where Eric was at that moment—it was early by vampire standards, not even ten o'clock yet. She wondered how long there would be peace in Bon Temps. She wondered if she could ever drink blood on a regular basis for sustenance. But then, she'd had blood before...lots and lots of blood. She'd had Eric's blood.

She wanted to know the night better so she went in the house and turned off every light in the place and the porch light, then sat in her wicker chair to drink it all in. She felt the breeze, she heard the singing crickets, but all she could see was Eric in her mind's eye. She saw him so clearly that when he reached out to touch her she reached out to meet him. She jumped suddenly when she realized that he was actually there and she had felt his hand touch her own.


	40. We Are All Waiting

_**A/N.** Thank you to everyone who has taken their time to read my story. To all who have reviewed let me just say you guys were a life line. Work and life in general got in the way of my flow and the show knocked the wind out of my sails killing off Tara (I know, maybe not) and ruining my Steve Newlin reveal : ) **FatJan**, I thought I lost you when I brought back Luna. **mybabybill**, I had a whole other ending in mind until you reminded me how awesome Bill was as King, so you were the inspiration for my final chapter—thank you! **Blackpen Enaru,** I totally agree about the need for shifter friendly clothes! So, thank you, because without you Sookie wouldn't have remembered to grab Sam's clothes for him : ) **bwtawny**, thank you for getting my pen name, because, no matter how hard I tried to explain it a couple of my friends just didn't get it at all : ) **piper1715**, **persnikitty5**, **Isis Aurora Tomoe, **thank you for staying tuned and keeping me going, as well. **Demeter1973**, thank you for the comment about being a script writer—I humbly submit that there are many writers here that I'd like to see have crack at even one episode of True Blood. Thanks again to all who have read and reviewed. I hope you enjoy the final chapter. Now I'm going to sit back, relax and enjoy reading all of your wonderful stories._

I don't own True Blood, Charlaine Harris' "_Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) Series_".

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 40 We Are All Waiting

Bill and Tara arrived in Miami at midnight. They were only staying that night and the next; with their carry-on luggage in hand they headed directly out of the terminal to hail a cab to their hotel. Every major city, by that time, hosted at least one hotel that catered to vampires. In Miami, Caligari's was an intimate boutique hotel located in the Art Deco District; it suited Bill's current re-infatuation with all things 1930's, but did not suit Tara's desire to be in a room where the Atlantic Ocean could be viewed from their room window like a masterpiece hanging in prestigious art gallery. Ever accommodating of each others desires they had struck a compromise. They would base themselves at Caligari's but hotel-hop at all of the best Miami Beach landmark hotels. Tara had done her research and wanted to go first to Fontainebleau and see the famous Bleau Bar and then have their moonlight picnic on the beach.

They refreshed themselves by making love in the shower and then changed into more elegant night attire. Bill looking sinfully delicious sporting his longer sexy hair, opted to wear a D&G ensemble consisting of a black jacquard waistcoat over a crisp white shirt and black trousers while Tara stunned in a short silver fitted jersey dress with draped fringe, her hair swept up in the Grecian style with soft tendrils cascading about her beautiful face this way and that, further adorned with an elegant mauve-colored feather and flower hair clip on the side of the nape of her neck. As she slipped into a pair of sexy silver Barbie mules Bill walked up behind her and gave her bare neck a sensual kiss.

"Do you really expect for me to let you out of this room looking like this?" he growled as he slipped a spaghetti strap off of her shoulder and fondled her bare breast. She reached up then to put her arm around his neck and turned her head to kiss him. When their lips finally parted she smiled a wicked smile at him.

"Yes, I do...because we're gonna finish this on the beach..." she purred at him.

Together they radiated a hypnotic allure that drew everyone in that they passed as they walked through the hotel and then out onto Fifth Street, especially from humans, who were always quick to recognize the special aura exuded by beautiful young people in love. They got quite a few double-takes as many wondered if they were celebrities, which made Tara feel like one.

They admired the sights along Collins Street but soon took off with preternatural speed to their real destination with shared excitement. They would explore the Art Deco District fully the next night, but the Bleau Bar was calling.

"Oh, Bill! Is this the heaven on earth, or what?" Tara marveled when the walked in. "I feel like such a hick..."

The first thing she noted were the huge dazzling gold chandeliers and gold pillars against the posh blue and white opulence of the lights and seating. The bar was located right in the lobby of the hotel and walking across the neon-lit blue floor Tara felt like she was skimming across the ocean itself. There were lots of beautiful people, from the waitresses, bartenders and buff serious bouncers, to the guests, of course, most of which had been to see the headlining act in the hotel club. Everything was breathtaking, from the tranquil blue lights enveloping them from every angle of the room to the view of the pools, cabanas and shop-lined walkways down below.

Bill smiled at her then, put his hand at the small of her back and guided her to a seating area, speaking to her softly as they went, "You may feel that way, but I assure you that you look and carry yourself like a Goddess." Bill kissed the back of her hand before he seated her on the white leather sofa then joined her, both of them facing each other and feeling intimately alone in the crowded room. Just then a waitress came over to them.

"Good evening, welcome to the Bleau Bar. What may I get you?" she smiled pleasantly.

"A magnum of your finest champagne," Bill smiled at her. She bowed and took her leave. He turned his attention back to his love then and kissed her hand again. "I do still love the smell of champagne," he said wistfully. A song was playing that neither of them recognized but was infectious enough to set both of them to swaying to the beat. The music was loud, but not so loud that they couldn't carry on a conversation.

"It never did much for me, but I'm going to enjoy holding the champagne flute," she chuckled. "I used to watch all those old black and white movies when I was a kid; drinking and smoking looked so refined," Tara said as she pantomimed an actress lighting up, smoking and then flicking her cigarette ashes elegantly away.

"You did that beautifully—I can almost smell the smoke," he cocked his head to the side and gave her an admiring look.

"Bette Davis...pick any movie, dahling..." she batted her eyelashes dramatically and then laughed at herself.

"You would have been something to see in 1933, my Tara—you, Ginger—me, Fred."

"You think? I think you would have been more likely to see me swinging on a noose in a tree. All that stuff looked great in the movies, but I never really thought I could have lived in those times," she said soberly.

"Times have always been perilous, Tara. The more things change the more they stay the same. Greedy bankers are just as immortal as vampires, it seems."

"You got _that _right," she said as she shook her head in disgust. "I guess the lesson they got from that was how to rape everybody else without the need for jumping from open windows ever again."

The waitress came with their champagne then. As Bill retrieved his wallet to pay the waitress shook her head at him.

"Compliments, Sir, of the couple at the bar," she said as she pointed discreetly to a handsome Asian man and an exotic dark-haired beauty sitting at the blue illuminated circular bar and then left. The couple waved a salute at them.

"Do you know them?" asked Tara, a bit alarmed.

"Yes. Those are the two Authority liaisons that were at the trial," he said, not smiling as he waved them over. They rose from their seats then and walked over to join them. When they reached the table Bill rose to greet them.

"Mr. William Compton...Miss Tara Thornton...I'm very pleased to meet you both formally," the man said as he shook their hands in turn. "I am Joseph Liu and this is Roma Vicenzo. We are special agents of the Authority and we have a proposition for you. May we join you?"

"Certainly," said Bill crisply. The two took the outside seats across from them on the sofa.

"We're sorry to intrude on your much deserved vacation, but I assure you the matter is urgent and I shall get right to the point. You see, Mr. Compton, the Authority has had it's eye on you for quite some time, long before Nan Flanagan approached you in London and in all the time thereafter. They have always been greatly impressed by your work. This business with Russell Edgington was unfortunate and also not much of a surprise. He simply proved a point within the Authority that Ancients don't necessarily make the best monarchs.

"They were very happy with the work you did as King of Louisiana, but understood it wasn't particularly a good fit for you. There's a certain narcissistic personality, shall we say, that is inclined to even seek out the position of monarch, especially here in America. You were not that kind of king, at all, and quite effectively made the case that younger vampires should be considered for such positions, as a matter of course. The Ancients, quite frankly, are usually rather unstable, to put it delicately. We all know that immortality carries a heavy burden."

"Yes, that is true," said Bill cautiously.

"As a result, the Authority has a proposition for you. You're too good of a vampire, to lose, Bill. While your work as king was impressive, the way you handled yourself in Belarus was exemplar. The report received from Andrej Kuznetsov was nothing short of phenomenal. And don't worry yourself over Magister Kosciuszko...he's another Ancient that has outlived his usefulness in his position of authority. The trial was a bit of very necessary business, but you, Nan Flanagan and Eric Northman are much to valuable to lose.

"Because of this fact we have two positions that we would like to offer you for consideration. Nan's position needs to be filled immediately. We know that working with her has proven to be quite volatile at times, Bill, but you are one of very few vampires that has been able to hold his own with her. And because the two of you have worked so closely together the human public at large has become familiarized with you making you an excellent candidate as the new national spokesperson for the AVL, as well as her temporary replacement within the Authority. If you were to say yes your duties would begin immediately."

"I respectfully decline that offer, thank you," Bill said quickly, his tone respectfully adamant. The idea of replacing Nan and the fireworks that would ensue privately between them was not how he intended to spend the next year. He gave Tara's hand a reassuring pat as he could feel her upset and confusion without even having to look at her.

Joseph Liu laughed lightly as Roma Vicenzo's eyes bored into Bill knowingly.

"That doesn't surprise us one bit, Bill. We are not, as they say, mad at you," Liu said, still chuckling. "You were simply the number one candidate for the job; there is another on the short list who will most likely accept. We just needed your answer, as I mentioned before, because the position must be filled immediately. We have another offer for you that you might find more appealing. At least, we hope that you will.

"There have been many threats to the vampire community over the years, more so since we came out of the coffin. If we were to be honest, coming out of the coffin has proven to be—well—not as beneficial as we hoped it would be. But we are on a path now that we can not turn away from and must march steadily ahead. To be more to the point humans, especially those in power, have made it clear that they are threatened by us, no matter what olive branches we offer. They are threatened and jealous and history has shown us many times what atrocities threatened jealous humans can inflict upon each other and any other living species they are dually enamored and repulsed by. We need more agents to help keep the threat level down. We would like to recruit you to join us. This offer is extended to you, as well, Miss Thornton. You came under scrutiny of the Authority, of course, when Bill turned you into one of us. We take the creation of vampires very seriously and your choice of Miss Thornton as not only your progeny, but consort at the time was another feather in your cap, Bill. As Nan said before, well done. You don't have to give us your answer to this right away. We'd like to give you both forty-eight hours to think about it. The job entails a lot of traveling, here and abroad and we would need you to start in about a week. Do you have any questions?"

"I was not alone in Belarus. Eric Northman was quite invaluable to me during that assignment," Bill stated, more so to ascertain if he and Eric would be inextricably bonded to one another forever, which was not his desire.

"Yes, he was, but you were in charge and handled things magnificently. We would offer the position to Mr. Northman as well, but we can't have both of you away from the states, especially during the coming year—we have other plans for him, Mr. Compton," Roma Vicenzo spoke for the first time in her heavy Italian accent. "Also, there is the matter of the fae/human woman," she said as she cast a sly look at Tara.

"What about her, Miss Vicenzo?" Tara said as she straightened up in her seat and looked a challenge at her.

"Oh, Miss Thornton, I do love your spirit," Vicenzo smiled at her lustfully. "Up to this point we have been greatly impressed by Eric's progeny. And while Miss Stackhouse has proven time and again what a friend to the Authority she is," she cut her glance suggestively to Bill then back to Tara, " we are not entirely convinced that she would make a good vampire."

"Well," Tara began, her voice low and a touch threatening, "I don't think Miss Stackhouse is entirely convinced of that herself. Miss Vicenzo. I can guarantee that if she did choose to accept Mr. Northman's invitation to eternity she would be prepared to be the kind of vampire worthy of him and the Authority. "

"Ladies, play nice," said Liu with great mirth in his voice. "We are all waiting to see. All we're saying is that if Mr. Northman actually brings her into the fold, well, it would limit his opportunities within the Authority, that's all. But where the two of you are concerned, that's neither here nor there. We await your answer in forty-eight hours. I do hope you'll both say yes. Until then, do enjoy Miami. You chose a lovely spot for a getaway. Adieu." Liu and Vicenzo disappeared in the blink of an eye, totally unnoticed by the humans around them.

"Bill?"

"I want it. Do you?"

"I thought you were tired of all of the politics and bullshit." But Tara had seen the excitement that had sparked in his eyes with her own when Liu first offered him the job and she could see it still. She braced herself for the words that would come out of his mouth next.

"This is something different. And we can do it together—the main selling point for me. I want it, but only if you will join me," he said simply.

"Then yes," she told him and hugged him to her.

"We have a date with the beach, my Tara."

"What about Sookie and Eric?" she said worriedly as they rose to go.

"As Liu said—we are all waiting." And then Bill and Tara left the Bleau Bar and headed to white sands of South Beach.


	41. Done And Done

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 41 Done and Done

It was a quiet night at Sookie's house. Hadley and Hunter were out with Remy for dinner and a movie. They had invited her along but she didn't want to intrude on their family time. She lied and told them that Alcide was coming over to keep her company and sent them happily on their way. But she had talked to Alcide earlier when he stopped by before her shift at Merlotte's was over and gently told him that she needed to be alone. She hadn't told him that she had joined Holly's Survivors of Rape support group and she wasn't sure that she really wanted to. She was going through enough and didn't think she could take him looking at her with pitiful eyes. She didn't want his pity.

She walked through her house and stopped before the spot where the entrance to Eric's cubby had been. It was well-disguised when it existed but looking at the wall now, all meticulously repaired and repainted made her feel as if Eric was but a figment of her imagination. She hadn't seen him again since the night of her party. She knew that she would never see him again. She knew that, even if she could, she shouldn't.

She did what she did the night of her party when everyone had left her and turned off every light, inside and out, and sat in her chair on the porch to become one with the night. In the distance, back in the kitchen she heard the faint sound of her cell phone ringing just barely above the sound of the chirping crickets. Her first inclination was to just let it ring. She thought better of it when she realized it could be Jason calling with an emergency or something regarding the kids. She ran to the kitchen but the phone was just registering the missed call. She looked and saw that it had been Tara. Frantically she hit the Send button to call her back.

"Sook? Hey, girl!" came Tara's happy greeting.

"Hey, Tara! God, I'm so glad to hear from you—I miss you so much. Where are you?"

"Well, I'm home right now, but I was calling to see if you wanted some company."

"Oh my God, yes. You two back from Miami already?"

"We had to cut it short. I'll tell you about it when I get there."

Before Sookie could get back to the porch Tara was calling her name.

"Sook! I'm here...where are you, girl?"

Sookie ran through the door and into her friends waiting embrace. When Tara finally got a good look at her she could see the tears streaming down her face.

"Sookie? What's wrong? What is it?" she asked her, instantly alarmed.

"Tara, I feel like I'm losing my mind. Me and Jason went to Holly's support group for the first time yesterday. I don't know if it's gonna help. So many hurt people, Tara. So many broken people and I'm broken, too."

"No you are not, Sookie Stackhouse. Come with me..." Tara said as she took her friends hand. She went to the couch in the living room and grabbed the throw blanket and a couple of pillows then led Sookie out to the lawn. "Come on, like we used to do," she said as she smoothed out the blanket for them to lie on. "Now, lie down for a little moon bath with me. Come on, get comfortable," she commanded as she handed her a pillow to rest her head upon. "Now...talk to me," she said when they were lying side by side.

"No, how about I let you talk to to me, for once, Tara. How was Miami?"

"It was great. Now, what's wrong?"

"No, Tara, really...how was your trip and why'd you have to cut it so short?"

Tara sighed heavily when she realized Sookie was not going to open up just yet. "Miami was great. I've never been on a beach before, especially one so beautiful. Even under the moonlit sky...I could live a thousand nights just sitting and looking at the water and never be bored."

"Well, what else did you two do, aside from make out under the full moon?" Sookie asked knowingly.

"Yeah, okay," Tara chuckled, "whatever. Bill's kinda been stuck in his Jazz Age memories lately. We spent most of our short time in the Art Deco District. It was like walking through a portal in time, right in to 1930. And he played piano every chance he got, singing Cole Porter tunes to anyone who wanted to listen...I never knew."

"Yeah, me either. Wow. That's really sweet. Did he serenade you?" Sookie smiled at her.

"Yeah, he did. I've never been with anyone like him, Sook. I mean, even already we've had our little tiffs, but..."

"Otherwise known as Sam Merlotte?"

"I won't ask you how you knew that. But I know it's not because you can read me."

"No, you're right. Sam is better these days. And I really am not trying to listen in, or anything, but he still has you on the brain, Tara. I'm just sayin'."

"Well, then it's a good thing that Bill and I will be away soon."

Sookie sat up then. "Wh-what? Away? Soon? Where? Why?"

Tara sat up and faced her friend. "All I can tell you is that we've both been offered jobs by the AVL. We start in two days. That's why we had to cut our trip short."

"What kind of 'job'?"

"I really can't tell you, Sook. But it means we'll be out of Bon Temps, out of the country. A lot. I had to see you before I left."

"Oh God, Tara, I'm so tired of saying goodbye. How am I going to make it without you? I know that sounds totally selfish, but I just can't help it."

"I'll be back, Sook. It's a job, that's all. I'm employed again, and my job just requires travel."

"Yeah, travel out of the damn country. Sweet Jesus."

"I've told you about me, now why don't you tell me about you?"

"I'm just so full of rage, Tara. It's always worse when I'm alone. I'm angry; I feel like I'm totally not in control of my life because my emotions lately are so intense. And more violent than I'm comfortable with feeling. I'm starting to think I should have taken Eric up on his offer."

"You turned him down." Tara said more as a statement than a question.

"Yeah, I turned him down. He turned off from me completely. I'm out of his dead heart forever, now. And he still wouldn't give me my house back, the jerk. I haven't seen him since the night of my party."

"You'll see him again," Tara said, a knowing smirk upon her lips.

"No way, Tara. He's finally, completely done with me."

"Oh, you two kill me," Tara said exasperatedly.

"What?"

"Why do you think he kept the house?"

"Because he's a total asshole, that's why."

"No, silly. It's a link to you. Like children in a divorce."

"No, not at all. He told me if I had concerns about the house in the future or work that needed to be done or whatever, that I'm supposed to contact Ginger. He had the cubby sealed up just this week and everything—he's washed his hands of me, Tara."

"Blah, blah, blah. It's still a line in to you, Sookie. If he really meant to let you go he would have given you back the house. The Viking doesn't fool me for a minute."

"Well, I didn't get that."

"So, why are you having second thoughts now? About being a vampire."

"Because I want to kill people. I want to hurt people, like I've been hurt."

"No you don't," Tara said as she shook her head, totally unconvinced of Sookie's words.

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't. Take it from me, Sook, my whole human life I was filled with rage. You know this. So I know what I'm talking about. You can get past it. I did. And if I did, you damn sure can."

"How, Tara? How did you do it?"

"I had Lafayette. I had his unconditional love and a lot of time after that whole fiasco with Marnie to sit down and re-examine my life. And I realized that my life was still worth living."

"Well, I don't feel like that most days, Tara. I really don't. If I could just wipe my brain clean maybe that would help. I can't think of any other solution that will get me through this. Well, actually, I can."

"Sookie, come here..." Tara held out her arms as Sookie sought refuge in them.

"I love you, Sookie Stackhouse," Tara said as she cradled her.

"Oh Tara," sighed Sookie as the fresh tears started to fall. She became aware then of her friend's chilly skin. "You're so cold, Tara."

"C'mon, now, you've been lost in the cold embrace of a vampire on more than one occasion," Tara said softly.

"Yes, that's true. But it's just so strange that it's you, now."

"Sookie, what do you think being a vampire would solve for you now? You refused the Viking, what? Four days ago? What's changed in four days?"

"When I told you that Eric said I was an exquisite killer you agreed with him. Well, that's what I want to be."

"Sookie, you don't become a vampire to be a killer. Killing is something you have to do to survive. I know some vampires seem to really enjoy it and I don't deny that I would kill without compunction anyone who was trying to harm me or mine, but whether it was choice made for you against your will or one you made of your own free one, I really don't think that's the motivation for becoming a vampire. I can't speak for every vampire ever made, but it sure wasn't the motivation for me. I don't think it should be for you, either."

"Tara, I'm so tired of feeling this way," Sookie sighed wearily.

"Well, what about the group? I know you've only been to one meeting, but don't you feel at all like it could help you?"

"I just feel hopeless."

"Oh, Sookie," Tara hugged her tighter.

"You know, I wish I could be glamoured."

"What?"

"I wish with all my heart that you could glamour me, Tara," Sookie looked up at her friend then. "If I wasn't a fucking fairy you could glamour all the hate and rage out of me; glamour away all of these awful memories; glamour the darkness away. If you could you would do that for me, wouldn't you?"

Tara recoiled inside of her soul and without and with vampire speed threw Sookie out of her arms and was standing before her, a grimace on her face, her nostrils flaring.

"You're serious, aren't you? You _are_ crazy if you think I would do that, Sookie Stackhouse. You would lose your hate, your rage—your memories...you would lose _you_ and all the things that make _you_ you. How could you even think I would want to do such a thing, especially if it was possible?"

"Tara, please, I'm not trying to make you angry. I'm just barely holdin' on, here. You of all people should be able to understand what I'm feeling. I feel myself slipping away...and I just don't know what the point is to trying so hard to hold on anymore," Sookie said as she kneeled dejectedly before her friend and reached out a hand to her.

"No." Tara said angrily as she backed further away from her. "The last thing you need right now is my pity. Or your own. I don't even believe that you could fix your mouth to say such a thing. You have all these people in your life who love you, Sookie: Jason, Hadley, Hunter—Becky and Timbo! Lafayette. My aunt Ruby Jean. Sam Merlotte. Alcide. Bill. Me, Goddammit. You got a whole town that loves you. You've got two little ones to carry on your name. And they're gonna need you to be here. And don't you for one minute think that you don't have Eric. I don't know what he told you, but if he really couldn't be with you unless you were a vampire this house would be yours, lock, stock and barrel. He wants you and he'll take you—on your terms—if you make him. Why don't you two stop fucking around and just do it, already? But whether you do or don't, you're not allowed to just check the fuck out. You're not, Sookie. You take it one fucking step at a time, one day at a time. You're stronger than that. You're stronger than the pain; your light is stronger than the dark. Get a fucking grip on yourself and call me when you come to your damn senses." And with that Tara was gone.

Sookie, still on her knees, doubled over with her face in her hands and began to weep silently.

"Don't you just hate when we do that?"

Sookie jumped to attention at the sound of his subtle Swedish accent behind her.

"Such drama queens we are sometimes, no?"

Sookie was speechless as she turned slowly to face him.

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's right, you know. Just tell me what you want, Sookie, and it's yours," he said as he advanced towards her and held out his hand to help her up.

"Eric, I love you. And I want you to love me as I am; as a human woman. And I'm going to love you, as the vampire that you are."

"Done and done," he said as he scooped her up and carried her inside the house.


	42. To Be Safe In His Arms Redux

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 42 To Be Safe In His Arms Redux

"Your wolf is going to be disappointed," he whispered seductively as he gently stroked her hair.

Sookie lay sleeping in her bed as Eric sat up next to her, watching over her. At the sound of his voice she stirred.

"I heard that," she said dreamily. "I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed, too, Eric."

"Sookie, I'm content—more content than I've been in years—to be here doing exactly this."

"It's going to be a while...I haven't been..."

"You don't have to explain to me, Sookie. I know very well the pain you've been feeling. Just rest, now."

"I hate to be wastin' time sleeping when it's going to be morning soon. I'm just so tired, Eric," she said apologetically.

"Shh," he said as he put a finger to her lips. I want you to get well, Sookie Stackhouse. I think it's good that you joined Holly's group—you should continue," he suggested firmly.

"She wants to refer me to a professional," Sookie said, a touch disgustedly.

"There is no shame in that and you know it. I want you to get better, Sookie. Well enough to travel with me to Öland; I find that I have quite a bit of free time on my hands of late and I desire to visit my homeland again. Do you think that you would like that?"

"Öland...in the North Sea, where you played as a child..." she said wistfully, trying to imagine Eric as a happy, carefree human child. "Yes, I would like that, Eric. I really would. What about Fangtasia?"

"Ginger and Chow are more than capable of handling things in my stead. And I'm waiting to see how the chess pieces will be played within the AVL. I have others to protect aside from you, _liten krigare_...

"What did you just call me?"

"_Liten..._say it with me_..._" he coaxed her with a whisper.

"_Liten_..."

"_Krigare_."

"_Krigare_. And that means what, exactly?"

"Little Warrior."

"I'm not feeling like much of a warrior, these days."

"You just need to regroup, Sookie. Don't think that what you were involved in with Russell Edgington was anything less than an epic battle. You must truly reconcile yourself with the killer within you. I promise that when you are able to do that—and you will—no one will ever be able to make you feel vulnerable again."

"I hope you're right."

"I am."

"Wait a minute—what do you mean by you have 'others to protect'? What's going on now?" she asked him, slightly alarmed as she made to rise from the bed.

"You see? There she is...my _liten krigare, _ready for a fight. Right now, Sookie, just politics. And I need to stay abreast. However, I prefer not to be obvious about it. A trip away would serve my purposes well. Lay your head back on the pillow; now is not the time to talk of such matters."

Sookie did as he commanded and then nestled closer into him.

"I guess it's kinda stupid to ask why you came to me tonight. I guess you felt my depression and upset..." she reasoned.

"I felt something more than that."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Imagine my surprise when I got here and found you in the arms of yet another," he gently ribbed her.

"Hush your mouth, Eric Northman. You know Tara and me are nothing like that."

"Even so, I was jealous, I assure you," he smiled down at her.

"You are impossible."

"No, not at all," he said as he gave her a sweet kiss. "She is wise beyond her years, that one. I am happy for you that her joining the fold has not diminished your friendship. She was right on all counts, I will admit that. I hope you won't hold her harshness against her."

"I've never completely been able to do that, thank God. I know she loves me." Sookie had been desperately trying not to, but she yielded to her dread of the bedside clock and looked upon it. "Damn. It'll be dawn soon. I'm sorry I had you seal up your cubby, now."

"No, it was the appropriate thing to do—you have family here now. Rest now, _liten krigare_; when you wake again I want you to be the master of your day. And when the sun sets we will master the night together."


	43. A Welcome To L A

True Blood S4

Chapter 43 A Welcome To L. A.

"I can't thank you enough, Ginger, for allowing me to use your grounds and home to initiate my progeny."

Even as a human Ginger had never been intimidated by Nan Flanagan. She had grown to love Pam and had always had great respect for them both. And although Nan and Pam had shared a more than adversarial relationship, Ginger had forgiven her everything when Nan came to Fangtasia as Pam lay dying, suffering in the final throes of the witch's curse. She had come to honor the passing of a formidable vampire and to offer her support to Eric. When Pam was no more she had said to Eric simply, "I am sorry for your loss." But her words were genuine and full of more compassion than Ginger thought she was capable of. It had been a moment, that for so many reasons, she would never forget.

"You're more than welcomed, Nan. How's it going with your two new charges?"

Nan could only roll her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Ginger began in earnest.

"No, it could actually be worse. At any rate, we'll all be out of your hair tonight."

"Your other arrangements came through, then?" Ginger inquired, a smile on her face. Nan had mentioned that she had many favors to call in and one of them regarded accommodations in Los Angeles.

"Yes. We'll be leaving shortly for a non-stop to L. A."

"Tired of Louisiana?"

"No offense, but I'm tired of the South, period. All the drama with the Southern monarchs has worn me out. I can't tell you anything specific—I'm not exactly in the loop anymore, but I'm not thrilled with the direction the AVL is determined to take. I can tell you that you will have a new King, soon. I don't know who he is and I don't really want to know. There's a big shake-up within the ranks regarding the Ancients and their political usefulness. It really pisses me off to have been be so close to the perks that come with age only to become a casualty of the new, youth-driven culture of a few AVL upstarts."

Ginger's stricken look immediately confirmed to Nan that she had said too much.

"I'm sorry, Ginger. You didn't hear that—for your own good, do you understand?"

"Perfectly."

"To answer you original question I've obtained lodgings in the Oviatt building in downtown L. A. I hope you'll come visit us sometime. I would greatly enjoy returning your hospitality."

"I would like that, Nan, thank you. I've only been to California once, to retrieve Yvetta for Eric. The Valley, I think it was called—horrible place. At least what I saw of it."

"Downtown L. A. is not much better. But this place is a gem; a historical building—all Art Deco opulence: marble floors, Lalique windows—brown and gold decadence. It was a department store once; the owner lived in the penthouse suite on the top floor. Humans use it now for weddings, filming, and a restaurant. Imagine that bullshit," Nan said disgustedly. "What they don't know is that there are other secret penthouses on the other floors were offices used to be—an AVL acquisition from back in the early eighties. We'll be hidden in plain sight. It will suit my purposes divinely. I admire this place, Ginger, I really do," she said as she looked around at the lovely mansion with an appreciative eye, "but this could never be me. I'm used to traveling the nation and the world, living in grand hotels and out of suitcases. What the _fuck_ am I going to do with two newborns?" she hissed, more to herself than to her hostess.

"I'm so sorry, Nan," Ginger said again, with genuine regret.

"I wish I could have at least had someone like you, dear. Eric is more than lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Nan."

"Please do find a way to come and visit me, Ginger, anytime."

"I will."

"Uh, excuse me? Ms. Flanagan?" came Sarah Newlin's sing-song drawl from behind her, perky and reticent at the same time.

"What the fuck do you want?" Nan wheeled around angrily to face her.

"Uh, I just wanted to let you know that our limo for the airport is here..." she said as if asking a question instead of relating a fact.

"Well then, for fuck's sake go get in it," she spit at her. Nan turned away from her, rolling her eyes so hard she looked as if she was having a seizure. Sarah obeyed, looking hurt and dejected.

"'Ms. Flanagan'? Nan, really?" Ginger could not suppress a chuckle.

"She's lucky she rises every evening un-staked—hell yes, 'Ms. Flanagan'."

"What about the other one?"

"I almost like him," Nan admitted grudgingly.

Just then caramel-colored young man sauntered into the room and the two women both looked his way. He was six-foot four and a mix of African-American and Caucasian and had come from the mean streets of Baltimore, Maryland. His long wavy hair was pulled into a bushy ponytail that belied its relationship to the shiny rippling waves that adorned his crown; he had the fine aquiline facial features of a runway model and the physique of one who has spent long years working a job requiring intense manual labor—or pull-ups on the bunk bed rails in a prison cell. He was dressed simply in a black t-shirt that highlighted nicely his six-pack abs and bulging biceps; some old-school Levi's 501 jeans and brown Wolverine steel toe work boots completed his attire as well as a general air of menace that hung about him as intoxicating as his Black Code cologne.

"Ms. Ginger," he tilted his chin up to her to her as he approached them. "'Sup, mom?" he said to Nan, his voice registering cool confidence, a touch of amusement and a total lack of fear. "Meet you in the limo, yo."

Nan turned back to Ginger as he walked past them and groaned. "I take that back."

* * *

><p>Nan did like him, and much better than she liked Sarah, which both annoyed and hurt Sarah immensely. Even so, Sarah found it hard to lay any blame on him. He had been just as terrified as she had been the night he'd been made vampire. And Nan's pained but preferential treatment not withstanding, he had been nothing less than nice to her.<p>

His given name was Trey Marcellus Horne; but his nickname as a human had been Trey Deuces because he had been shot twice by rival gang members and survived. Trey was the product of a corrupt white Baltimore PD cop and a rough, sixteen-year old prostitute that had just been too pretty for her own good. When her thirty-year old pimp found out she had been knocked up by the neighborhood beat cop he made her life hell before he finally beat her to death just before Trey's third birthday. Trey bounced from Social Services to several foster homes and by the time he was ten he was already dealing and smoking pot. He got noticed early on by his neighborhood gang and was initiated by the time he turned eleven; his rite of passage being the successful completion of several daylight robberies in the Inner Harbor, at gunpoint, liberating cell phones from tourists and locals. At sixteen he was busted once by his own father who recognized his mother in him straight away, and their shared middle name on the boy's rap sheet. He roughed the boy up enough to have him sent to the hospital and then pulled his medical record for the blood work; along with the boy's finger prints he submitted his own DNA for testing. His suspicion was later confirmed. He tried to make amends with the boy but Trey would have none of it. Trey had gone on with his program, loyal only to the crew that had taken him in. By all accounts it was a miracle that he had made it to the age of twenty-five.

Sarah had the chance to hear his story his first night as a vampire, when Nan left them both in disgust and great anger. Sarah had been turned unceremoniously the night of the trial that culminated with Isabel's execution; Trey had been turned three nights later. Since those nights all they'd really had was each other. Nan told them only that their real education would begin when she left the South. The time had finally come and Sarah didn't know what to expect and didn't have any faith that Nan would really teach her anything, at all. The only thing that gave her some comfort was the fact that the Authority would not tolerate irresponsible or negligent Makers, as Isabel's fate had proven.

"Cheer up, yo," said Trey when he joined her in the limo and saw that Sarah was deep in seemingly unpleasant thoughts. "We're goin' to Cali, shorty," he said excitedly. "Chin up, shorty—mom at three o'clock."

Nan got in the limo and said nothing to either of them. It was a silent ride as the limo sped through the early evening to the airport. By eleven pm, Los Angeles time, they had touched ground; forty-five minutes later Nan led them through a private entrance on the ninth floor to their seven-room penthouse.

They walked through the grand foyer to the living room area where all the furniture was hidden under dusty covers. Even in its vacant condition Sarah knew that treasures awaited them in every room.

"No one has been here for ages," Nan informed them as she went to the fireplace and lit it. "I have arrangements to make, a small staff to hire...that will be taken care of in the next few days."

"Oh my God, this place is beautiful," said Sarah in awe as she took note of the marble-veneered walls and the illuminated glass ceiling.

"Spare me your forthcoming backwoods critique," Nan shot at her angrily. "Tonight is yours to do what you will. I chose this place primarily because downtown L. A. is full of homeless people that no one will miss."

* * *

><p>Nan had only allowed them to kill on their first night as vampires. Sarah remembered Nan's words to her very well. They had risen from their grave and Sarah was starving, consumed by a hunger she had never experienced as a human.<p>

"Regardless of our laws and restrictions you must learn how to gauge the beat of a human heart so that you know when to stop drinking. Those are mandatory," she said as she pointed to the bottles of Tru Blood sitting under a magnolia tree near their grave, "but optional—tonight. You must taste one, however, before we can exercise that option."

Sarah chose a bottle of O positive. She twisted off the cap and took a hearty swig only to spit it out violently. Nan smirked at her. "The shit is awful, isn't it? Come with me now...it's time for a real drink."

They left Ginger's by limousine and headed for a seedy little strip club. Sarah's first and only victim had been a wino in the alley behind the club. She remembered well the terror in his eyes and her total lack feeling for him. He was food and she was hungry. She put her mouth to his vile, dirt-streaked throat and punctured it; as the warm blood began to flow into her mouth she couldn't imagine not ever knowing such ecstasy again. Nan directed her to listen to his beating heart, to pay attention as it slowed and to disengage before it stopped altogether. When it was over Nan showed her how to close his wound with a few drops of Sarah's own blood.  
>"Good. It will look like he just died in his sleep."<p>

For a moment Sarah thought she had bonded with her Maker. Until she spoke again.

"Now get back in the fucking limo. I've got other things to do tonight and they don't include babysitting you."

* * *

><p>"Drink to your hearts content, but do not kill them—glamour them and go on your way," she said as she looked at them both and broke Sarah out her memory of that night. "If you can't manage that then keep your ass here..." she directed her cold glare at Sarah, "the kitchen is stocked with every type of Tru Blood."<p>

Trey stood stock still and said absolutely nothing.

"This place has coffins and cubbies. Choose one and claim it before you go out. Tomorrow night we will discuss matters that are most important to the two of you. I highly suggest Skid Row for dinner." It was a dismissal.

"Uh, Ms. Flanagan, before you go, I just wanted to ask..." began Sarah timidly.

"Spit it out, already," Nan said impatiently.

"Will we be going back to Louisiana ever again? You see, I have a sister and I was wondering if I could bring her here with me and..."

"For fuck's sake, Newlin, this is not a Friends and Family program you're enrolled in, here. And isn't your sister a V addict?"

Sarah attempted to answer but only managed to stutter nervously.

"Shut the fuck up. I'd eat her and kill her before I'd ever let you turn her into one of us. You have a nerve even thinking such a thing. Both of you, get the fuck out of here."

Trey left immediately, anxious to choose his sleeping accommodations and go explore the city.

Sarah could take no more. "Why do you hate me so much?" she burst out in frustration and anguish. Nan rushed her with her vampire speed.

"Because you are a _sentence_," she spit the word at her venomously as she grabbed the weaker vampire by the throat, "you are an intrusion into my existence and a reminder and embodiment of all of the things that have gone wrong for me; you have jeopardized a career hundreds of years in the making in a course of time relative to the blink of an eye. But give me a little time, bitch; maybe in three or four hundred years, if you last that long, I'll find you even remotely tolerable. In the meantime, the AVL is watching me and your success as a vampire reflects directly on me. Isabel notwithstanding, I refuse to be a failure as a Maker—does that fucking clear things up for you?"

"Y-yes..." Sarah stammered. Nan threw her angrily across the room.

"I'm not going to say it again," Nan said finally as she turned her back on her. Sarah rose quickly from the floor and left, blood tears streaming down her face.


	44. Not The End Of Us

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 44 Not The End Of Us

When Tara got back to the house Bill was in the drawing room giving Jessica last minute instructions. She could see that their conversation was becoming heated and waited before she made her entry.

"I like him well enough, Jessica," he said of Blackburn, "but both of your passions combined for fresh blood is more than dangerous—it is pure folly and you know it. I can not impress upon you enough how careful you must be. Especially at this time. Tara and I are going to be gone for quite some time, I must have have your oath that you will stop this reckless hunting."

"I can't give you that. You just don't understand how important the kill is for me. You just don't."

"Of course I understand, Jessica," he began exasperatedly.

"No...you don't. What you understand is only part of it."

"Really? What I understand is that you continually jeopardize yourself night after night when you know that I cannot bear the thought of losing you to the True Death. Explain that."

"Explain to me why we even have these ridiculous laws that forbid us to be what we are!" she shot back angrily. "Why? And how are humans ever going to trust us when we all know good and damn well that vampires prefer, and still are, feeding from and killing humans? This VRA shit is never gonna fly—humans don't want it and neither do half of the vampires on this planet."

Bill sighed wearily. "That may be true, Jessica," he said as he approached her slowly, "and I am not going to stand here and argue anymore with you; I am also not going to command you to stop because, for whatever inexplicable reason it does not work on you, anyway." He took her into his embrace, gave her forehead a sweet kiss and then held her tightly to him as he cradled her head in his hand and spoke into her soft red locks, "I am asking you, Jessica, to quell your desires in order that you may survive. It is as simple as that. I can not bear to lose you."

Jessica looked up at him and saw complete understanding in his eyes. He said nothing as he confirmed her realization with a firm nod of his head.

"Bill..." she began angrily.

"Jessica."

"Bill," she began, her tone less obstinate but still resolute.

"Jessica, I am so proud of the woman you have become, the vampire that you are," he spoke softly to her. "I am in awe of you, do you know that? I can not tell you how much I look forward to seeing the vampire you have yet to become; being your Maker has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my existence. In five hundred years or more, I want to sit in a room with you somewhere, looking back on this night and be able to share a laugh with you about it. Please do not deprive me of that opportunity."

Jessica stomped her foot and groaned loudly, but put her head upon his chest and nodded her acquiescence to him.

Tara had been seething with anger when she first got to the house but what she had just witnessed calmed her tremendously. She walked into the room quietly.

"Hey, y'all..."

"Tara!" Jessica ran to her, it was the first time she'd seen her since they had come back from Miami. The two women hugged warmly. "Bill tells me the two of you have gotten yourselves hired by the AVL. I mean, wow. Am I going to get some details now, or what? And where have you been, anyway?" Jessica took a seat on the couch and patted the cushion for Tara to join her.

"I had to see Sookie," she said simply; she walked over to Bill, took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze before she sat beside Jessica.

"Well, how was she?"

"Not good." Tara looked at Bill then back at Jessica. "Not good, at all. That crazy girl was talking about suicide. I know that poor child has been through a hell of a lot, but shit...do you know that she told me she wished that I could glamour her? She said wished she wasn't a fairy so that I could wipe her brain clean and make her a damn vegetable," Tara said disgustedly.

"What? No way," said Jessica, stunned. "Tara, really? I should go see her..."

"Both of you calm down," Bill said knowingly as they both looked up at him. "He is with her. She is being...comforted," he said with a smile and a faraway look in his eyes. When he cast his eyes upon Tara again he saw great relief on her face.

"Really? I give it six months," sniffed Jessica.

"Jess! Be nice, girlfriend," said Tara as she gave the girl a little spank on her knee. Bill shot her a small look of reprimand.

"Well, he _is_ a total bastard," she countered to them both.

"Maybe so," Tara smiled, "but he's her bastard."

* * *

><p>Ruby Jean Reynolds sat on her son's porch sipping a cup of hot chocolate. It was a beautiful night and she was far from sleepy.<p>

Lafayette had been by earlier after his shift at Merlotte's to check up on her and had brought her a goody bag containing a generous portion of his famous gumbo, cheddar biscuits, spicy boudin and two sweet potato pies.

* * *

><p>"LaLa, this is enough food to feed an army, boy. Why'd you bring so much? I can't eat all of this..."<p>

"Yeah, well leftovers is a good thang, I always heard. 'Sides, you might find yoself havin' a little company later."

"Oh, look at you...soon we won't have to talk at all, I suppose," she said as she unwrapped a biscuit and began to nibble on it. "You felt that, too, huh?"

"Yes, I did. 'Bout damn time, too."

"You know, I remember a time when you had no knowledge of—or compassion for—my situation... and look at us now. Everything, always, in it's own good time, LaLa."

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry."

"That's better. Sit down and eat with me," she said cheerfully.

"I would, but Tara's coming to see me later at Jesus'."

"Well, that's later—you don't have time to sit a minute?"

"I'm sorry Ruby Jean. You been here all day alone, nobody to talk to..." he said as realized that maybe his mother was lonely out at his place all day with nothing to do.

"I wouldn't say all that. I got plenty of things to do...and folks to talk to."

"I'm talking about the living, Ruby Jean."

"I am too, boy—ever heard of a telephone?"

"Okay, 'scuse my ass. Who you been talking to?"

"Sam's brother, Tommy, for one."

"Tommy?"

"Yes, Tommy," she rolled her eyes and shook her head in a silent "Duh" at him.

"What y'all be talkin' about, pray tell a bitch?"

"School, for one thing. That boy would do well in college. I ain't been preachin' at him, just gently suggesting."

"Oh yeah? Sam'll love that. He been tryin' to send that boy to school for a while, now. How that goin'?"

"Well, he took me for a ride the other day to go meet a counselor at Baton Rouge Community College," she said proudly.

"Wow. Is you for real?"

"Yes, I am. I could see that boy stompin' through the high cotton one day."

"We should all be stompin' through the high cotton one day," Lafayette said as he fanned himself and rolled his eyes.

"Well, you get no argument from me on that, baby. Mmm, these biscuits just melt in your mouth—this my mama's recipe, boy?" she accused him.

"Yes ma'am. And no, I have not divulged the secret recipe to a soul."

"You should have your own place, LaLa, the way you cook? Umph, umph, umph..." she said as she shook her head in appreciation and reached in the bag for another biscuit.

"Yeah, you done said that before. Maybe someday," he said wistfully.

"I know you got other plans, baby. Speaking of which, are you moving in with Jesus or what?"

"Maybe. He asked me to. But I like the goin' back and forth—keeps it exciting," he grinned at her devilishly.

"I guess," she shrugged her shoulders.

"You okay out here alone, Ruby Jean?" His tone was suddenly serious.

"I'm fine. It sho would be nice to have a little dog around here, though. I love dogs."

Lafayette gave a chuckle at the girlishness of his mother's voice. "Well then, I guess we's gettin' a dog."

* * *

><p>Lafayette had left her shortly thereafter with a promise to have the puppy of her choice in the house by the weekend. Ruby Jean kept herself busy watching television and continuing to learn how to navigate the iPad that Lafayette had gotten for her. She e-mailed Jesus at work to let him know that she had taken her meds and was feeling fine; she got thoroughly caught-up in the multitude of "Cinnamon Challenge" videos on YouTube and swore in her heart that young folks today just didn't have any real appreciation for life at all. But it had been fascinating to watch the silly little idiots, nonetheless. The little gadget was a lot of fun, but just like reading a great book it still made her sleepy after a while. She called Tommy and spoke with him for a minute then settled herself on her son's sinfully comfortable bed and took a nap. When she woke around nine o'clock she was refreshed; the chill in the air made her put on a sweater and head for the kitchen for something hot to drink. She hadn't been on the porch long when she heard reticent footsteps announcing themselves over crushing leaves and scraping the gravel as they headed up Lafayette's driveway. The figure that appeared at the bottom of the stairs was already in tears.<p>

"Ruby Jean," came her voice through choked sobs.

Ruby Jean stood and held out her arms. "Lettie Mae..." she called her sister softly, her smile as broad as her outstretched arms. After a long embrace the two sisters reluctantly released each other. "Come in the house out of the cold," said Ruby Jean as she took her sister's hand and led her into the house.

"Can I get you something to eat, Lettie Mae? LaLa brought a heap of food home..." asked Ruby Jean as she led Lettie Mae to the couch.

"No, I'm too excited to eat right now, but what was you havin' out on the porch?"

"Hot chocolate."

"I would love some of that," she smiled at her sister as she pulled a handkerchief out of her bag and blew her nose.

"Comin' right up..."

Finally the two women were settled on the couch and facing each other, both momentarily speechless.

Lettie Mae held her mug of hot chocolate carefully, looking into as if she would find her strength there and was the first one to speak as she looked her sister in her eyes. Then she took a really good look at her.

"Ruby Jean, you just so beautiful—the light of the Lord just comin' through your soul like a beam...you look completely well..."

"Well, I don't know about all of that, but I'm better...thanks to Jesus."

"Who's Jesus?"

"He the nurse been taking care of me. He got me off all the bad drugs them doctors was feeding me like free candy. But there's a whole heap of me still missin'. I'm lucky I can walk and talk at all. But he and my LaLa lookin' after me now. He's been good for us both."

"What you sayin'?"

"He's LaLa's boyfriend. I imagine he gonna be my son-in-law someday, if the law ever allows it."

Lettie Mae just looked uncomfortable as she tried not to make any rude comment.

"I know you not down with that. I wasn't either, at first. But he's a good _soul_, Lettie Mae. And he makes my LaLa happy. They're good with each other and to each other. That's all mother ever prays for as her children grow up and look for love."

"Well, I'm happy for them, then." Lettie Mae's discomfort was still apparent as she struggled to get her next words out. "I'm so sorry, Ruby Jean, so sorry I wasn't there for you. I ain't been around properly for nobody my whole life."

"Lettie Mae, please don't do this. We both been through some mighty bad times. Mighty bad. But we're still here, girl...we're still here. And I'm so proud of you."

"What is there to be proud of? I'm a terrible mother; and did I take care of my only sister's baby when he needed me? No. I didn't do nothin' for nobody, not even myself. And now my own baby...I made the biggest mistake of my life, Ruby Jean. I don't understand why she did what she did, but she came to me to let me know that she loved me and I treated her like a demon. I..."

"I know what you did. And I know why you did it. And so does she, Lettie Mae. Livin' or undead, that girl's got more love in her than can be measured. And she still has love for you. You know that in your heart. All you have to do is say the word," Ruby Jean assured her.

"How my baby been, Ruby Jean? How she been?" her sister asked her anxiously.

"You been livin' in a cave?"

"What?"

"You ain't heard nothin' about Tara and Sookie and Vampire Bill's girl, Jessica? Nobody in this town told you how they was abducted by Russell Edgington?"

"What?" Lettie Mae shook her head in disbelief and laughed out of sheer denial that what her sister was saying was God's honest truth. "Me and the Good Reverend been at Revival this past month, in Memphis and Atlanta..."

"Sit still child...take a couple more sips of that and take a deep breath..."

When Ruby Jean was done telling her sister about the events of the previous few weeks Lettie Mae was crying uncontrollably.

"Oh my God...and I knew none of it. None of it...Oh my God, my poor baby...those poor girls..."

"Try to get a hold of yourself, Lettie Mae. What matters is they safe now, safe and sound," came her sister's soothing voice. "Safe and sound." Ruby Jean began to sing a song, low and sweet, as she cradled her sister in her strong arms:

"_The sky was crying_

_when He came_

_and stole her precious child away_

_The Goddess smiled_

_and stilled her pain_

_displayed only a fine and quiet restraint_

_she said:"_

Lettie Mae recognized the song as one their mother used to sing them at bedtime and joined her sister as they sang together:

"_be brave, my love_

_'tis only the grave, my love_

_and not the end of us_

_she sang:_

_earth, water, fire, air_

_hold me fast in my despair_

_and prove that what seems destroyed_

_can be repaired_

_air, fire, water, earth_

_proof of the glory of rebirth_

_and not the end of us"_

The two women looked at one another.

"I didn't know I still knew that song. Mama knew, didn't she? She knew about all this before my baby was even born and I never listened; I never saw it for myself and there she was, telling me..." Lettie Mae said as the realization hit her like a sack of bricks to the heart, only serving to refresh her anguish and heartbreak.

"You had demons at your heels all of your life, Lettie Mae; you were too busy fighting them off trying to survive the 'now' to be able to concentrate enough to see the 'later'. I always saw the now and the later and it practically cost me my mind. Was it a gift? Was it a curse? I don't know. I guess it's all in how you use it. How _you_ use it, not somebody else. We fought the best fight we could, sister, and here we are. We're still here!" Ruby Jean said joyously. Then she sang softly again:

"_earth, water, fire, air_

_hold me fast in my despair_

_and prove that what seems destroyed_

_can be repaired_

_air, fire, water, earth_

_proof of the glory of rebirth_

_and not the end of us"_

"Now dry those tears. You gonna see your baby soon."


	45. Honey Hole

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 45 Honey Hole

When Andy had mentioned to Terry late Wednesday night that he wanted to go fishing the next morning Terry was ready to offer an apology and beg off. Arlene saw that look on his face and got angry. They were in the kitchen helping her wash up the dishes and Arlene threw down her drying towel.

"Terry Bellefleur, don't you dare," she scolded him.

Terry looked confused. "Well, I wasn't darlin'..."

"No, I mean don't you dare use me as an excuse and not go."

Andy gave her a thankful smile.

"Y'all been working around here like madmen—you need a break. And frankly, so do I," she said a touch indelicately. Terry's look of confusion gave way to one of insult.

"Arlene," he began defensively as he shifted to his other foot and puffed out his chest, "we are fixing up this house for my gran and, by extension, our family; and you need me around here to see after you..."

"Oh, honey, I didn't mean it like that at all," she went to him and gave him a sweet kiss. I'm fine, baby...but if I hear another hammer bangin' 'gainst another nail, why I'm just gonna scream. Everything is coming along so nice—everything is looking so beautiful around here..." she said, sweet as honey." Terry smiled in appreciation of his wife's praise. "But y'all have been busier than a cat covering crap on a marble floor—give it a rest for a day, would ya?" she said irritatedly.

"She's right, dears..." said Caroline Bellefleur as she entered the kitchen. "Go fishing, boys. It's going to be a beautiful day tomorrow and I'll be here to look after this one, here..." she walked over and linked her arm through Arlene's. "Now, honey, how about a cup of tea before bed? Will you join me?"

"Why yes, I will. You go on up and I'll bring it to you," offered Arlene with a broad smile.

"Thank you, my love. Good night boys. Enjoy yourselves tomorrow and bring back dinner," their grandmother admonished them as she left the kitchen.

"Well, just call me hen-pecked and feed me corn," said Terry.

"Oh, you stop that," laughed Arlene as she picked up the drying towel and playfully snapped his bum with it.

Andy laughed as well. "I was thinking 'bout headin' to Lake Bistineau, Terry."

"Ain't that one kinda choked up?" he asked, referring to salvinia problem there.

"No, there's still some good spots—a buddy of mine was just out there last week—told me about a real nice honey hole he come up on..."

"Sweet. Alright then, we're goin' fishin!"

* * *

><p>Andy and Terry were up at four am and served a hearty breakfast by Arlene. She packed their lunches and sent them both off as they each gave her a hug and a kiss to her cheek. They packed their gear onto the truck, hitched up their boat and headed for the highway, both men in better spirits than they would have thought.<p>

"Guess we really needed this, huh cuz?" said Terry as he rolled down his window and let the cool morning air wash over his face.

"Yep," agreed Andy with a broad smile.

By six forty-five the men were on the lake and at the spot where Andy's friend had suggested. Andy was about to hook his line with a jig and pig when Terry stopped him.

"What, man? It's gonna be sunup in twenty minutes..." said Andy irritatedly.

"You might want to try this instead..." said Terry as he produced two rods he'd hidden and secured in the boat earlier unbeknownst to Andy.

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? G. Loomis?" he asked in shock as he held his lantern closer to the rod and then took it from his cousin. "Hot damn, cuz! You know how long I've been wanting one of these? I'd holler, boy, but I don't want to scare the fish away."

"Happy Early Birthday, cuz...I ordered these a while back. After last night I knew I had to bring 'em on out of hiding."

"Thank you, Terry. You're just the best damn cousin a man could ever have."

"Right back at you, cuz."

When the sun bid the night farewell twenty minutes later the men sat in reverent silence as it rose and kissed the lake with its first rays of light.

"Aw man," said Terry quietly.

"What?" Andy whispered back.

"Listen at those white pelicans, man..." he said as their almost duck-like squawking, which had been lonely and intermittent at dawn became more vocal and intense with the burgeoning appearance of the sun.

"Yeah, that's sweet," Andy agreed.

"If everybody in the world could just get a taste of this on a regular basis this world would be a better place."

Andy just nodded his head in agreement. The men sat in silence again for a while.

"I wish Portia could be here," said Terry after a while.

Andy did a double take. "Portia?"

"That girl is wound up tighter than an eight day clock. She could use some of this."

"Yeah, well Portia ain't never been nobody's little country girl. Never. She wouldn't appreciate it one bit. I promise if you ever did manage to get her out here she'd scare all the bass away and they'd never come back." The two men shared a quiet chuckle and fell silent again.

"I can tell somethin's on your mind, cuz, it ain't never been this hard to hold conversation with you on a boat before. What's wrong?"

"Uh, the new doors with the patina caming will be delivered next Wednesday—you gonna be around?"

"Yes. But that's not what you really want to talk about and I know it."

Andy let out a heavy sigh. "Damn, you know me too well."

"Yep."

Both men concentrated on their lines and the lake, never once looking at each other as they spoke.

"It's Holly."

"Sweet woman."

"Yes, she is. You know, I ain't never been with a woman like her. Ever. She's so caring; so insightful; I don't think I've ever heard a real complaint come out of her mouth. With the work she does counseling sexual abuse victims and my work at AA—she makes me feel like we're the damn Dynamic Duo. I love that woman something powerful."

"So, what's the problem?"

"Her two boys, to put it in a nutshell. It's a horrible feeling when kids don't like you. But they're really not kids; they're two brutes disguised as teenagers."

"Well, of course they don't like you—you're dating their mother. It ain't no real reflection on you," Terry said matter-of-factly.

"You're so lucky you met Arlene while her kids were little; it gives you a chance to bond with them, for the seeds of a real family to be planted. I won't ever stand a chance with these two. I'm pretty sure they've seen some horrible things and I could be a real father to them, if they'd let me. I want to marry that woman but those boys...I just don't see it happening."

"Well, it ain't all been peaches and cream with Coby and Lisa. They're sweet kids, but Arlene is super protective and real hard on 'em. And you know how kids like to play one parent against the other; I can't tell you how many times I have stand back and be like the old lady who fell out of the wagon so that I'm not always the good cop to Arlene's bad. It ain't easy, let me tell you. But we manage to handle everything with love and it all works out in the end. And Mikey—he's just been a little blessing. And now with the new baby on the way—let's just say that if things get any better around here, I may have to hire someone to help me enjoy it."

"Well, I'm real happy for you two. You having any more rug rats? Because I'm too old; and even if Holly wanted—which I don't know, cuz we ain't never talked about it and I just assume she wouldn't—well, those two boys of hers would probably take the poor thing out somewhere and drown it in a swamp. They're devils, I'm tellin' you."

"That's not good at all, cuz."

"No, it ain't."

"Well, four is the magic number for us; Arlene's havin' her tubes tied after this one."

"Well, your kids will just have deal with me, then," Andy said as he smiled to himself. "Nieces and nephews are just as much as blessing as havin' your own."

"I'm praying for you, cuz. Just keep handling things with love. I could see you with a kid, easy," Terry assured him.

"Well, maybe with a different woman..."

"What are you talkin' about, cuz?" Terry's head whipped around and he looked at his cousin in shock.

"I uh, met another woman...that night you you left me in the woods."

"I don't understand—we got hookers in the woods now?" Terry asked, more than alarmed.

"No, Terry..." said Andy exasperatedly.

"Well then, who was this woman?"

"I don't rightly know, but she wasn't no damn hooker. She was beautiful; and young; and she wanted me—me! And she had me, right there, out in the woods that night," Andy related to him sheepishly. "Even in my younger days, when I was a damn sight more fit than I am now and not too bad-lookin', have I ever experienced a woman like that..."

"Are you sure she was a woman?" Terry asked him suspiciously.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" said Andy, a flash of anger registering in his eyes immediately along with a rush of blood to his cheeks.

"A woman, out in the woods, at night alone, finds you and in the throes of mad passion, lust and desire has her way you—a stranger—a man she knows absolutely nothing about and not for pay. Think about it, cousin—this is Bon Temps, we're talkin' about. Maybe she was a vampire. An especially sweet and loving vampire that had fed already and just wanted more sweet sex."

"Terry, dammit man, get back in the fuckin' boat, already. She wasn't no vampire; she was warm and alive."

"Well, where did she come from, Andy?"

"I don't know..." Andy said uncomfortably. "Alright, fine...she jumped out a ball of light," he finally admitted.

"A ball of light," repeated Terry slowly, as if he'd never heard any of the words before.

"I told Arlene all about it when I got back to the house. She thought I was crazy."

"Andy, I'm the crazy one."

"Terry, no..."

"Andy, this woman was not human. Maybe not a vampire, but I don't know what. You put her out of your mind. You got a real woman who loves you..."

"She was a real woman!" Andy protested vehemently.

"I didn't. Say. She wasn't, cuz. I said she wasn't human. Shit like this happened in the desert man; bits and pieces of my brain are still tryin' to connect the dots..." Terry took his hands into his head as a memory tried to assault his brain; he grabbed a handful of his hair and screamed out; his torment echoed through the swamp and sent a flock of birds flying from a nearby cypress tree.

"Terry?" came Andy's worried voice through the cacophony of Terry's memories, which he swore he could hear buzzing like broken telephone wires on a utility pole. Then suddenly it ended.

"Andy," Terry struggled to catch his breath. "Just be glad that you still have your faculties and leave well-enough alone; forget this 'woman'; forget it ever happened. You have a real life and a real chance at love; Holly's bad boys are nothing compared to the mess you could be in. Don't invite it into your life, promise me," Terry beseeched him.

"I promise, Terry," said Andy completely bewildered.

"Thank you. I probably scared all the fish away. We can leave if you want."

"No...it's still a beautiful morning. Either we catch something or we don't...let's hang a bit, huh?"

"Sure. Sure cuz." Terry drew his cousin into a strong embrace and hugged him tight. When they released each other both men looked back out onto the lake and spoke no more, each man lost in his own thoughts.


	46. Damn Fine Chicken Salad

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 46 Damn Fine Chicken Salad

It was slow for a Thursday night at Merlotte's. The dinner rush had been robust but by nine pm foot traffic had come to a screeching halt. There were only a couple of guys from the road crew at the pool table and one young woman at the end of the bar working on her second shot of tequila.

"Hey, Sam, is it okay if I knock off after I clean the grill?" Terry called out from the kitchen.

"Sure, Terry. It's slow as molasses in here—probably because we ran out that fantastic haul of bass you and Andy brought in," Sam called to him. Sam got up off of his stool behind the bar, put his magazine down and went to him. "Thanks for that, man, that fresh bass sold like hotcakes today," he smiled appreciatively at his buddy. Terry's chest swelled with pride.

"My pleasure, Sam," he beamed at him.

Sam went back to the bar, retrieved his magazine and took his seat on the stool again. He wasn't really reading it as much as he was checking out the woman, who, at that moment, was reading something on her cell phone. She was a golden brown-skinned beauty looking gorgeous in a simple but stunning red, curve-hugging short-sleeved knit dress that stopped just below her knees; Sam found himself lost in the curve of her calves and continued the tour of her legs until it ended in the sinful seduction of her strappy gold high heels. On the back of her chair hung a black leather motorcycle jacket. Another interesting thing about her was that she had no purse. Sam noticed it when she paid for her first round of drinks and pulled her small wallet from the inside breast pocket of her jacket—a man's jacket. He saw no rings on her fingers. The only jewelry she had on was a pair of hoop-type tiered silver dangling earrings that framed her sweet little heart-shaped face as they emerged from the wispy, tousled intrigue that was her short, razor-cut jet black hair. Very suddenly she snapped her phone shut.

Sam gave up the pretense and put his magazine down for good. She appeared to be lost deep in thought and hadn't noticed at all the he had been watching her nor the two men at the pool table who had been unnecessarily loud and boisterous as they played. Sam walked over to her quietly.

"Hey there, can I get you another, miss?"

"Oh, huh? Uh, no thanks, two is my limit," she said amiably, as she cast off the worried look that had been on her face.

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you okay?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh, don't mind me...I had a funeral today...I mean, I went to a funeral today. My grandmother passed."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," he said sincerely.

"Thank you."

"You look like you're from out of town. Maybe your grandmother was someone I knew?"

"And why would that be? Because this is a small town and everybody knows everybody?" She sounded a touch insulted, which threw him off a bit.

"Well, no and yes. I'm sorry if I made you angry," he began apologetically.

"Elenora Camp?" she said as she shrugged her shoulders and threw up her hands in question.

"Uh, no. I don't think I knew her."

"How about Evelyn Camp—that's my auntie...her daughter."

"Evelyn? I know Evelyn," he said then. "She was just in here for lunch today but she didn't say anything about her mother passing," Sam said, a touch bewildered.

"Well, she wouldn't have. She and her mother had been estranged for most of her life."

"Oh, that's...I'm sorry to hear that. So Evelyn is your aunt..." Sam was still confused.

"Really? That look, in the Twenty-first century? You have heard of inter-racial marriage, haven't you? She's my father's sister."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anything," he began, apologizing again.

"Okay, so you know who I am now...must we do the run down?"

"The run down'?"

"Yes, the run down; the one that all Southern folks must do when they meet: my grandma, your grandma; my daddy, yours; who lived in what parish, who went to what schools; until we narrow it all down to a common aunt or uncle, find out we're cousins and confirm that all we can ever be is friends, because all small-town Southern folk are related, right?"

"Okay, I'm not originally from here, so your 'run down' would be kinda pointless with us. But apparently I've made you really angry or you're just distraught—or both—and I'm gonna go back to my end of the bar and leave you alone now." Sam backed pointedly away from her and proceeded to do exactly that.

"No, no, no...come back here," she crooked her finger at him. He approached her again, but with his hands up.

"Please don't shoot."

"Oh, put your hands down, already. I promise I'm not schizo. And I'm not armed." she began when he stood before her again. "I'm not really angry or distraught. I'm just sitting here reconciling myself with the fact I'm going to hell, and I'll deserve it...because I'm relieved; relieved that the funeral is over; relieved that she's dead."

"Oh," Sam said, taken aback.

"You don't understand; she was a horrible woman; aunt Evelyn is my favorite aunt and she really suffered a lot in life because her. I know you're not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but...well, I'm not a perfect person and let's just say that I know that real well about myself."

"Well, the last time I checked, I found out that this world is chock full of imperfect people...and some of 'em are the nicest people you'll ever meet," he said softly to her. "But I suppose if you really think you're goin' to hell when it's all over then I'm real sure I'll be meeting you there."

"Sounds like a date to me," she said then as their eyes really met for the first time. Sam smiled and held out his hand to her. She returned both gestures.

"Sam Merlotte," he shook her hand.

"Zola Camp. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Pleasure's all mine." He released her hand reluctantly. "Hey, I'm sorry the grill is closed now, but if you're hungry I can rustle up something," he said as he went to grab an apron from under the counter cabinet.

"Oh, no, please don't put yourself out. I'm not hungry at all. Pretzels...they're what's for dinner..." she joked as she showed him the empty bowl before her.

"Oh, that ain't right...c'mon, let me fix you something right quick?"

"No, really," she protested sweetly. Just then Terry came out of the kitchen with a plate of chicken salad on a bed of fresh, crisp iceberg lettuce, sliced beefsteak tomatoes and basket filled with a sliced sourdough baguette. He set it before her, left, and then came back with a pitcher of sun tea.

"Ma'am," he nodded his head respectfully at her. "It ain't a hot meal, but it's damn fine chicken salad made fresh this evening. That's all we got left that's prepared. Please enjoy."

"Why, thank you very much," she said, very pleasantly surprised and touched by his concerned demeanor.

"I'm sorry Sam, I overheard you two out here. Thanks for letting me have the night off early."

"Thank you, Terry, thank you so much for everything," Sam gave him an appreciative pat on his back to which Terry responded by grabbing Sam's hand and pulling him into a strong, manly embrace. He then held his friend at arm's length and looked him square in his eyes.

"Anytime, buddy. You all have a good night, now. Ma'am," he nodded at her again and then left.

"Wow. That was...intense. And very sweet," she said incredulously.

"He's one of the best men I know, I can tell you that," Sam smiled at her. "Go on, eat up."

"I feel funny eating alone—why don't you join me?"

"Well, sure..." Just as Sam was about to go get a plate of his own the two men at the pool table began shouting heatedly at one another. "Oh, now what?" Sam said irritatedly as he headed over to them but not before a first punch could be thrown. "Alright, boys, not havin' it...take it outside."

"But Sam, he cheated and I want my money..."

"You're a damn lie, Buck, and you know it," retorted the other man as he made to throw another punch.

"Arlen, that's enough...both of you. I don't know why y'all even bother to shoot pool together, you end up fightin' every damn time and I'm tired of it. Both of you get on outta here. You can come shoot pool separately but if I see you both toolin' up to my door together again you ain't coming in."

"You don't have to worry about that," snorted Buck in a huff. "I ain't never playin' with him again in my LIFE!" he lunged at the other man then and Sam held him back.

"Both of you...out...now," he said as he continued to push them towards the door. When they were finally out he turned over the closed sign and locked the door. He rejoined Zola at the bar, a look of apology on is face.

"Wow. Again I say...that was intense."

"Not really; those two harmless idiots are brothers," he explained.

Zola laughed out loud. "I love it. I don't know why my parents ever left here."

"I think I can figure it out easy," he said from the other side of the counter. "How's that salad?"

"I don't know yet...I was kind of distracted there, for a minute," she cocked her head at him and smiled.

Sam cocked his head at her and smiled, as well. "Hmmph, imagine that," he put his elbows on the counter, leaned in to her, picked up her fork and dipped into her plate; when he had a delicate helping upon it he brought it up to her lips and looked into her eyes with a challenge. "Well, I think it's high time you gave me your informed opinion, ma'am..."

Zola allowed him to feed her the first forkful, then took it from him gingerly and set it quietly on her plate.

"Well?" he asked her when she finished chewing and brought his face even closer to hers. Before she could answer he said, "Oh wait, it's missing something..."

He took her hand and pulled her closer then kissed her sweetly. He broke away just long enough to look at her and confirm that she wanted more and then gave it to her. He grabbed a handful of hair at the nape of her neck, pulled her closer in to him and then kissed her deeply, savagely and, to his delight, she met him with her own passionate abandon.

When they finally released each other Zola leaned back in her chair, breathless and over-heated. "Wow. That's some damn fine chicken salad, alright. Does it always come with a side of you?" she asked as she fanned herself.

Sam only answered her with a sexy, knowing grin.

Then, as if it had just hit her out of the blue, she looked at him nonplussed and said, "And they just let your sexy ass run free around here? How many poor women have you done this to?" It was more of an accusation than a question.

"Only one that matters," he kept smiling at her.

"No way, I'm not falling for that..."

"What?" he asked her innocently.

"It should be against the law for you to be able to go around kissing women like that, that's all I'm sayin'."

"Tell you what, Zola: tell me you don't belong to anyone and then it'll be against the law for me to kiss anyone _but_ you like that." Sam came from behind the counter and approached her slowly.

"Okay, hold up—you know absolutely nothing about me and I know absolutely nothing about you—why would you even say something like that?" she asked as she got up off of her bar stool and backed away from him.

"Let's just say I've been inspired," came his low, sexy drawl. Never taking his eyes away from hers as he advanced he picked up her jacket as he passed her chair. "This your boyfriend's jacket? Or are you one of those women that got hip a long time ago to the fact that mens fine leather products are typically better made, way cooler and cost a lot less than what they try to sell you in the womens department?" His previously playful tone was replaced then by one of dead seriousness as he drew ever closer.

"It was my ex-boyfriend's jacket, but thank you for that priceless shopping tip," she said nervously as she bumped into the entryway behind her leading to the pool room.

"Oh, you're a comedian, I see..." He trapped her body against the entryway with his own.

"Only when I'm nervous."

"Don't be nervous, Zola...be mine," he said as he dropped her jacket to the floor, took her face in his hands and descended upon her sweet, waiting lips hungrily with his own.


	47. The Carriage Awaits

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 47 The Carriage Awaits

"Okay, what's your deal, Sam? Why are you working so fast, here?" Zola asked him when they finally managed to tear themselves apart from each other.

"Well, I don't know...why are you lettin' me?" he asked her, his voice just barely above a whisper.

"Oh no...tell me you just didn't really say that," she said with a touch of reproach and a disappointed shake of her head. "I mean, that just sounds kind of, I don't know...rapey, maybe?"

"What are you trying to tell me, Zola? Do I scare you?" he asked as he nuzzled into her neck and kissed it tenderly.

"Well," she began to melt anew under his attentions to her and struggled to go on, "shouldn't I be?"

"About as scared as me, darlin'..." and then he showed her how scared he was.

"That is not the kiss of a frightened man."

"Well, good," he said softly as he smiled at her, "cuz I'm not and you shouldn't be, either."

"I mean, I really hate how people hide behind fear in situations like this, right? I mean, if you're attracted to someone then you're just attracted to someone and that's not a crime..." she said in a rush as he came in for another kiss.

"Uh huh, you're right..."

"And most of the time," she continued when he let her up for air again, "when people claim they're 'scared'... like some silly women do...'Oh I'm so scared'," she pantomimed her version of a silly, scared woman, "what they're really afraid of most is their own desire and the fact that they're acting on that desire like some kind of slut..."

"Yeah, that is pretty silly..." He smothered her neck with kisses and began to trail them dangerously towards the neckline of her dress.

"No, Sam, stop," she said insistently. When he ignored her and continued to stay his course she put her hand on his head and ran her fingers sensuously through his soft shaggy hair then pulled it gently, but only enough to make him look up at her. "Who are you?" she asked him softly. "Are you 'Rebound Guy'? 'One Night Stand Guy'? 'Thunderbolt Guy'?"

"'Thunderbolt Guy'...I'm not familiar with him," he teased her with a caress to her cheek. "Who's he?"

"You know, he see's you, is struck with a thunderbolt of intense, all-encompassing love; pursues you, woos you, wins you over—then sees some other chick at a red light around the corner from your house on the way to the grocery store, is hit by the thunderbolt again; and there you are, home in the kitchen, looking stupid as you stand there, without sour cream for the dip, while all of your friends—at the party he invited them to—bear witness to your abandonment and heartbreak."

"Uh, I thought you said you _weren't_ schizo," Sam said then, starting finally to get a bit alarmed.

"I'm not even going to take that as an insult, under the circumstances."

"Well, who are you, then, Zola? Are you the 'Living With The Nice Guy/Cheating With The Bad Boy Woman'? 'Always Looking For Someone Better Out Of The Corner Of Her Eye Woman'? Maybe you're 'Don't Know What In Hell She Wants Woman'. Oh, wait...there's one even worse than her: are you the 'I Know Exactly What I Want But It Damn Sure Ain't You Woman'?" He stepped away from her then, real anger flashing in his eyes. Zola leaned back against the entryway, put her hands behind her and held on for support as she leaned her head back and looked despairingly up at the ceiling.

"I'm 'The Woman Who Should Be A Lot More Cautious'," she said simply. She took a took a long, deep breath before she looked at him again.

"You sound like you've been through some things, Zola."

"I could say the same for you, Sam."

"Well, I'll tell you what," he said as he began to pace the floor, "a week ago I would have told you I was 'Rebound Guy', but he's been happily dismissed; a month ago I would have told you I was 'One Night Stand Guy', but he's been shot and killed; this is my first experience with 'Thunderbolt Guy', Zola, and I'd really like to make it my last." He came back and stood before her. "So, tell me—how much of an 'ex' is your ex-boyfriend? Who's jacket I'd like to burn, by the way—just so you know."

"It's a long story and you're going to feel silly after I tell it to you."

"I got all night, darlin'," he assured her, more than ready to hear it.

"Yeah, but I don't. I'm staying with my aunt until Sunday—I have to go back to work on Sunday. Anyway, I know she's sitting up waiting to let me in and it would be inconsiderate for me to be out any later than I already have been."

"Okay, well, I can understand that. Am I going to see you again before you go?"

"Of course you are," she smiled at him.

"Where are you even from? Where do you work? You got time to tell me that much?"

"I'm from everywhere; but I live in Baton Rouge now and I'm a physical therapy assistant at the VA hospital."

"Okay, I have to work tomorrow and you'll have to be at your aunt's house tomorrow night before the carriage turns back into a pumpkin—how are we gonna do this?" he asked her in earnest.

"I'll just tell her I met that nice guy that run's Merlotte's and that I'm going to spend my day with her and then leave early so that I can spend a little time with him before I drive back home. Does that work for you?"

"That works just fine."

"What time should I be here?"

"Same time. If the joint is as dead as it was tonight I'll close up early; if business is poppin' off you'll hang with me behind the bar and then when I close up we'll pick this up where we left off. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Now, come on over here one last time...you look a little scared..." he said with a sly grin as he took her hands from behind her and pulled her close into his embrace.

* * *

><p>"I finally got little Michelle down. Mr. Jason," said Becky as she came into the living room to join him and Timbo.<p>

"Becky, what did I tell you about that?"

"I'm sorry, Mr...I mean Jason," she smiled at him.

"Alright, that's better. Now, look, I know it's gettin' kinda late, but I wanted to talk to you guys tonight about something real important."

Both of the kids just looked at him bewildered.

"Now, I really appreciate all your help with the babies..."

Becky and Timbo both smiled proudly.

"But y'all can't exist just to be babysitters for me."

"What do you mean, Jason?" asked Timbo, as his smile turned into a worried frown.

"Well, y'all need to go to school...you need an education."

"But I just want to get a job and work, Jason," pleaded Timbo.

"Timbo, ain't a job in the world where you ain't gotta read something, even if it's just your name on your punch card, man," Jason told him delicately.

"I'm too stupid to go to school—I'm too old—I should be almost finishing up high school," Timbo said in a panic. "Ain't no high school gonna take me."

"And what about Michelle and Corbett? Who would watch 'em for you?" asked Becky, just as worried as Timbo at the prospect of doing something that seemed impossible.

"Look, I'd be lyin' to you if I told I want the kids in daycare when they can't even walk, talk or run yet, but you two deserve a chance to be educated. It's also the law. I love having you here and you're a part of this family forever. But soon you're gonna to be adults; you got to be equipped to handle your life in this world—and it's a big world out there, beyond what you know about Hotshot and Bon Temps and a damn sight more than dirty diapers and babies. You got to get your book learnin' in to be able to do that. Michelle and Corbett are my responsibility, not yours. I'm gonna have to see my way clear to hiring a nanny and screen like all hell; rig the place up with cameras..." he trailed off as his mind raced ahead of him. "Anyway, my responsibility to you two is to make sure you have a shot a life that's better than the one you know—even here with me. Do you understand what I'm sayin'?"

"I don't know, Jason," said Timbo, looking like he wanted to bolt right out of the front door.

"I know it seems like a real scary prospect, but try to be positive, huh? I talked to one of the the school counselors today on my lunch hour; she wants to meet you an assess where you two are scholastically. Now, I had to tell her the truth about your circumstances—and before you go gettin' all worried about that I want you to know that I have a shape-shifter teacher acquaintance who referred me to her—so not only is your secret safe with her, she more than identifies with you because she's a werewolf," he explained reassuringly.

"But Jason, werewolves and werepanthers don't get along with each other, not one bit..." Becky informed him frantically.

"Listen, you two, and I mean listen to me good," Jason began, his tone more stern with them than they had ever heard it directed at them before. " I know this world is full of good people and bad; but if there's one thing I've learned in the past couple of years about this town it's that I've got a lot of true friends and I know a lot of good people; some of 'em are different ethnicities and some of 'em are a different species—are you hearin' me? This counselor I talked to is good people. She is able and more than willing to help you. So I don't want to hear anymore talk like that in this house, do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," they both said in unison.

"Alright. Now, I think you two are gonna find out some things about yourselves, real soon—like you're smarter than you think you are, for one. I believe you're both gonna take to learnin' new things like fish to water; I think once you get past your anxiety and get yourselves settled in you're both gonna be just fine. I ain't gonna lie, either—it's gonna seem real tough at first, but I'm here and I'll help with anything I can, and if I can't I'll make sure you get whatever help you need. A whole new world is gonna open up to you and guess what?"

"What?" they both asked, enrapt by his words and enthusiasm.

"You're gonna find out that you have dreams and you're gonna be in a better position to make those dreams come true."

"You mean like my sleepin' dreams?" asked Timbo, confused. "Cuz most of my sleepin' dreams are nightmares..." he said sadly,

"No, no...not like your sleepin' dreams, Timbo. No, like...you're gonna read a book one day..." Jason began wistfully, "maybe it'll be a story about a boy like you or a man you'd like to be; that story will inspire you, see, and open your eyes to something you never thought of before and you'll say to yourself, 'Hey, I want to do that' or "I want to go there'...learning new things is just this great big ol' introduction to possibilities; that's the dreaming part. The really sweet part to dreaming about possibilities is learning even more stuff that helps turn those possibilities into realities. Am I makin' any sense to you two at all?"

"Yeah, Jason, I get it. Ain't nobody ever talked to me that way you do, not at all. But I get it. Becky, you get it, don't you?"

"I already know about dreams—I dreamed about gettin' out of Hotshot for a long time," she said, sounding like a woman and well beyond her thirteen years.

"And you survived Crystal and made that dream come true, Becky," Jason beamed at her with great pride and admiration. "Now look, Ms. Hines—that's the counselor's name—she knows about you but y'all can't tell anybody else you're from Hotshot."

"You shamed of us or somethin', Jason?" asked Becky, her hurt feelings evident.

"No, honey, no...it's not at all about shame, little girl, it's about safety. There's only one thing some people are gonna think of when they hear Hotshot—V dealing. They don't even know about the werepanther part, and if they did they'd all just start actin' like typical stupid humans. You two don't need that kind of trouble from ignorant fu...uh, people. I ain't havin' that," he said angrily.

Jason's loving words and protective nature made Becky and Timbo feel happy to their core and they both smiled.

"Okay, then, we're going to meet Ms. Hines at ten o'clock Monday morning, yeah?" He looked at one then the other for positive affirmation. Timbo nodded his head, less fearful than he had been before; Becky gave Jason a warm hug of appreciation which he returned by pulling them both into a strong group hug. "Alright now, y'all go on to bed and get a good night's sleep. And look, when the babies cry out don't neither one of you dare step one foot out of bed—I'll get 'em, you hear?"

"Yes sir, Jason," Timbo smiled. Becky just frowned.

"It really ain't no trouble, Jason, I..."

"Becky, no. We got to get in practice right now, tonight, for the good changes coming. Now, I'm off from work now through Monday. I want you two to get a good night's sleep and tomorrow morning after breakfast I want you two to get out of this house and go do some kid stuff; I got two perfectly good 10-speed bicycles in my shed that you can ride—y'all know how to ride bikes?"

"I do," chirped Becky brightly. "Timbo don't know how, but I can teach him."

"Well alright! While y'all are doin' that I'm gonna be in here making phone calls looking for a nanny we can trust. So go on, scoot."

""Night, Jason."

"Good night Timbo."

"It ain't no trouble," Becky dared to say under her breath as she passed by him on the way to her room. Jason gave her a stern look.

"I love you, too, Becky. Stay in bed," he warned her and then smiled to himself when she was gone. He retrieved his new laptop, settled back in his chair and turned it on. "Okay, Google, Daddy needs a nanny..." Just for the hell of it he typed DADDY NEEDS A NANNY in the browser. To his pleasant surprise results came up immediately with blogs from other anxious fathers looking for help and other babysitter sites; he added BON TEMPS to the search and he got right down to business.


	48. News

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 48 News

Zola was true to her word and on Friday evening she was preparing to leave her aunt and head to Merlotte's. They were in the kitchen where here aunt was packing up a special treat for Zola's return home.

"I can't believe you made me a whole orange crunch cake, auntie! It's going to take me two weeks to finish it," Zola gave her a big, appreciative hug.

"Oh, baby cakes, my pleasure," Evelyn Camp smiled proudly at her niece. "I'm so proud of you, girl; you're doin' so well and looking so good—you gave me a fright when you called me about the...you know what," she whispered then. Evelyn didn't even want to say the word. "You're the only one who comes to see about me, you precious girl—I don't know what..." and then Evelyn broke down and cried.

"Auntie, please don't or you'll get me started, too...please stop crying, I'm alright now. It's you I'm worried about. You know my offer still stands for you to come stay with me," Zola said as she wiped a tear from the corner of her own eye.

"Oh no, honey, I sure appreciate that, but what would I do in Baton Rouge? All my friends are here...and I could never leave my group. No honey, I'm fine. I hate to say it—I know it's so wrong—but I'm a helluva lot better now that old bitch ain't drawing breath in my universe no more. You just don't know..."

"Yes, I do, sweetie, yes I do," Zola reassured her with another hug. Just then she got a call on her cell phone and answered it. "Hi, Sam...yeah? Sounds like a party...I am, but leaving my aunt is never easy," Zola said into the phone but rested her loving gaze on Evelyn. "Okay, see you soon," and then she rang off. "That was Sam; he said it's a big old party going on at his place tonight and he can't wait for me to get there."

"Well you go on and scoot, then, honey. That Sam is quite a fella...if I was a younger chick I might try to give him a go my damn self," she winked at her niece and then let out a hearty hoot.

"Auntie, you brazen little tart, you!" Zola joined her in laughter. Now I know where I get it from..."

"Oh, girl, you just don't know..." said Evelyn out of one side of her mouth and started cracking up again.

"Auntie! Good Lord, what's gotten in to you?" Zola asked her joyfully. "Hey, why don't you come with me? You're definitely in the perfect mood for it..." Zola pleaded with her.

"Oh, no, my shows are comin' on—wrestling tonight."

"You can watch wrestling any night—come on out with me? It would be so much fun...please?" Zola gave her the puppy dog eyes that had been so effective when she was a little girl.

"Are you kiddin' me? You got a date, you silly girl—what am I gonna look like toolin' up to Merlotte's this time of night?"

"Like the hot chick you are—come on, Auntie?" Zola pouted then.

"Aww..." Evelyn waved her away and started to laugh again. She looked at her niece who was laying it on thick with her hands up like little paws and panting just ever so.

"Oh God, you're a silly one. Okay..." Evelyn caved in. "What the hell am I gonna wear?" she asked in shock at her own self.

"Well, you have a real nice pair of jeans in there hanging up, right in the front of the closet...and how about that pretty blouse I got you from Dillard's for your birthday—have you even worn it yet?" Zola asked her suspiciously.

"You know I haven't. I told when you got it for me I don't never go nowhere..." Evelyn complained.

"Well, you're going somewhere tonight—come let's get you dolled-up...it's not like we have to do a whole hell of a lot..."

"Good Lord, girl—I didn't even know I still had an ego, but you're strokin' it right back to life..." Evelyn said with a chuckle.

"Hush, now...you just try not to charm the pants off of Sam Merlotte and we'll be alright," Zola said, which sent Evelyn into a girlish peal of laughter. "And try to leave some men for the other women tonight..." Zola continued to scold her as she led Evelyn to her bedroom.

* * *

><p>"That will be fine, Chow. If at any point you find yourself having even a hint of a problem with the distributors let me know immediately and I'll deal with them personally."<p>

Eric had spent most of the previous evening going over his business concerns with Chow and Ginger in preparation for his imminent trip with Sookie to Öland. Consequently, he had not been able to spend as much time with her as he wanted but he was looking quite forward to their evening together that night. He had many important things to discuss with her and time was of the essence.

"Fine, Eric. I think that about wraps it up then," Chow said as he shut down the laptop they had been working on and put it in Eric's brief case. Eric took it from him prepared to leave and then remembered another matter that needed attention.

"One more thing, Chow, do not forget—" Eric and Chow looked up suddenly as Ginger burst into his office with a strained look on her face. Before she could speak Joseph Liu appeared behind her.

"Do not be angry with her, Eric, I promise I sailed right by her and gave her no chance to warn you."

"Warn me of what, Mr. Liu? You are always welcomed here," Eric said stiffly. He did not rise from his chair.

"Am I? I doubt that. May we, uh..." Liu gestured imperiously with a wave of his hand to Chow and Ginger, "have a moment?"

"I'm sure that whatever Authority business you have to discuss should involve my associates, as well," Eric insisted.

"And I am sure that it should not. Ms. Vicenzo is not with me this evening." Liu raised an eyebrow at him. Eric rose from his chair.

"Chow, Ginger...please excuse us."

Ginger and Chow exchanged concerned looks as they left immediately. When the door was closed firmly behind them Eric rushed his visitor with vampire speed.

"What do you mean by coming here like this?" he hissed at him in a rage.

"Calm yourself, Eric," Liu said quietly, "I have news for you."

"This is not the way to impart it to me. Anyone could have tracked you here."

"No worries, Eric. You have my word that no one has done such a thing."

"You were supposed to wait until I got to Öland..."

"I told you that I have news—it could not wait."

"Well, what is it then?"

"The new King of Louisiana arrives soon—within the next two weeks. You will have to put your trip off."

"That is not news. I already know who he is and that's why I planned my trip when I did. You know this."

"Yes, but that was before he took a consort."

"I do not care about him—much less, his consort."

"You will when I tell you who she is. And you will want to be here when they arrive."

"Well if it's so fucking important spit it out, Joseph," he said angrily, trying to maintain his composure.

Eric heard him say a name but was so stunned that he wasn't sure if he heard Liu correctly. "Did you say..."

"Yes, you most assuredly heard me correctly, Eric. I suggest you save Öland for another time, no?"

"Are Bill and Tara still set to go away?"

"Yes, that has not changed—they are needed. And congratulations on your human pet; the Authority is very pleased that you had the good sense to leave her as such," Liu said with a smirk upon his face.

Eric bared his fangs. "She is not a 'pet'," he growled at him in a rage. Liu only laughed.

"I'm sorry, Eric, I meant to say your _valuable_ human pet."

Eric advanced upon him menacingly. Liu was unfazed.

"Take care, Eric—we are on the same side, after all," he said calmly as they locked eyes. Eric let out a grunt of frustration and retracted his fangs.

"Very good, then. I must go now. Adieu." With that Liu left him.

Eric called Ginger and Chow back in to the room.

"I can't tell you much right now, but I do need to explain that. And for the record, you never saw Joseph Liu tonight."

Both vampires nodded at him in complicity and then listened quietly as Eric gave them what he could of the latest news.


	49. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 49 Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

When Zola and Evelyn arrived at Merlotte's they walked in and found that the place was a madhouse.

"Good Lord, I've never seen this place so packed," Evelyn said as she looked around hoping to see any of her friends. "Look, that pretty waitress right there is Holly, my group leader. Let's go over so I can introduce you," she said excitedly and took her nieces hand to lead the way. Zola Looked over at the bar but didn't see Sam behind it or anywhere in the immediate vicinity. She followed her aunt to a woman who spied them coming over and presented them with the big, happy grin.

"Evelyn Camp? Is that you? You look absolutely radiant!"

Evelyn did look radiant. She was a handsome woman of sixty-three but she carried herself as if she was a hundred. Her usual habit was to throw her shock of curly salt-and-pepper shoulder-length locks into a tight bun and wear absolutely no make-up; her wardrobe consisted primarily of baggy sweat pants, over-sized t-shirts and hoodies, while her better department store-bought jogging suits were saved for wearing to her group meetings and the rare special occasion where she chanced to go somewhere other than the grocery store. Standing there with her halo of soft bouncy curls and just a hint of lipstick, in well-fitting jeans and a new-style long-sleeved, collared white wrap blouse with the sash tied so prettily by her niece, she was a vision.

Evelyn blushed her thanks. "Stop now...I want to introduce you to my niece—Holly Cleary this is Zola Camp, my brother's girl," she beamed at her.

"Well hush my mouth—girl I have heard so much about you from your aunt here—such a pleasure to finally put a face to the name!" Holly set down her tray and gave Zola a hearty hug.

"The feeling is mutual, Holly." The two women took hold of one another's hand; Holly knew full well the circumstances between Evelyn and her deceased mother and how her niece had been a Godsend and a comfort to the woman all of natural life.

"Oh, I could just dance a jig right now! Y'all come on over and let me get you a table..."

"What in tarnation is going on here tonight, Holly? Is it a party?"

"Girl, I don't know... guess this town is just in major TGIF mode tonight," Holly said as she seated them at a booth. "What in tarnation brings you out, Ms. Evelyn?" Holly asked as she gave her another appreciative once-over.

"Zola's got a date with Sam," Evelyn winked at her.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, really? That is a sweet piece of news. That really makes my heart happy, darlin'. He's in back right now helpin' out in the kitchen—that's how crazy it is tonight. I'll let him know you're here. What would you ladies like to start off with?"

"Well, I would like to have a glass of white wine, please," said Evelyn coyly but feeling her oats more and more with the passage of each minute. "Oh, and an order of shrimp salad, please."

Holly chuckled. "Comin' right up. How about you, sweetheart?" she said to Zola.

"That sounds good, the same for me please?"

"Well alright. I'll bring your wine right out and have your order shortly, okay?"

"That's just fine, Holly, whenever it's ready I am too. I'm just so happy I'm here."

"Me, too, honey...guess who else is here?" she said as she gathered her tray and prepared to leave them.

"Who?"

"Donnie is here—he's over there sittin' with Jason and his kids. Be right back."

"Who's Donnie?" Zola asked her aunt.

"He's a real sweet boy that just joined our group," she said as she waved her hand trying to catch his attention. When he saw her and realized who she was Evelyn gave him a big smile as he waved back.

"Well the music sounds good—how come nobody's dancing?" asked Zola as she tapped her foot to the music on the jukebox and noticed other feet around the room doing the same.

"Oh, Sam don't allow no dancing."

"What? Why in the world not?" asked Zola, shocked.

"People start dancing and the next thing you know the fights break out and then stuff starts gettin' all busted up—I've seen it with my own eyes. Long, long time ago...that's why he stopped it."

"I guess. You know, considering what mom and dad are doing these days why did they ever leave here, auntie?"

"Now, do you really have to ask that? Times then weren't nothing like they are now. And times now are even crazier. You just don't know...Bon Temps has been through the wringer these past couple of years. You ever met a vampire?"

"No, I can't say that I have."

"Well, Bon Temps is crawling with 'em; and werewolves—I know a werewolf; your daddy used to do construction work with him 'fore he left here. That man built himself up a nice business then moved it to Shreveport. Now his son runs it. Real sweet people."

"Wow," was all Zola could say, amazed at how matter-of-fact her aunt was about it all.

"How's your ma been, honey?"

"Fine-she's still diggin' L. A. Still running her florist shop and doing pretty well...pretty damn well, actually. I just saw her last month."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. What is your daddy doing these days? Last time I talked to him I think Nixon was still president."

"You haven't missed much—he's working on wife number seven."

"Are you kiddin' me?"

"I am not," Zola held up her hand as if swearing an oath. Just then Sam came up behind her and took her raised hand in his.

"I hope this is you swearing to save a dance for me when this place is closed and everyone is gone," he smiled down at her and then kissed her hand.

"What? My auntie tells me you don't even allow dancing here..."

"I don't, normally, but I could hear your toe tappin' from the kitchen, girl. I've got a few moves, probably not as good as yours, but I'd be a real willing pupil," he said as he pulled her up from her chair and gave her a chaste hug. "Hey, Ms. Evelyn, it's so nice to see you out tonight." He released Zola and then went and gave Evelyn a kiss on the cheek. "And I don't ever think I've seen you looking so beautiful."

"Stop it, Sam Merlotte," she blushed.

"No..." came his playful drawl, "you stop. Joe Hunt is over there at the bar about to lose his mind tryin' to work up the nerve to come over here and say hello to you. You Camp women ain't nothin' nice at all," he ribbed her. But Evelyn perked up even more.

"Really? Oh, you're just pullin' my leg, Sam."

"I am not. He just told me he'd love to come over here and say hello, but he didn't want to interrupt—he remembers you, Zola, from when you were a baby."

"Really?" she asked amazed as she looked at Sam an then her aunt in disbelief.

"Yep. I told him to come on over here and say hello, and I know that shot of bourbon he ordered was for courage. But one of you is gonna have to make a move before this night is over, that's all I'm sayin'."

"I told her she was going to come in here a cause a ruckus, but she didn't believe me," Zola said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Both of you stop this nonsense. Me and Joe go all the way back to first grade; and his wife, Bless her dearly departed soul, was my hairdresser way back when. He knows how to come over and say hello to me and if he doesn't, why I can go say hello to him. But I got a date with a glass of wine and some shrimp salad right now..." she said as Holly brought her order over.

"Here you go, ladies. Sam, we got a situation back there with the beer man," Holly informed him as she set down their plates and gave a nod of her head towards the back.  
>"What's he doing here this late?" Sam asked totally bewildered.<p>

"I don't know, but I think it's safe to say he's conveniently skipped one or two of his deliveries and has availed himself of some of his own product. His truck is blocking some cars out back and Terry is havin' a quite a time with him—he needs your help."

"Excuse me, everybody," Sam said as he rushed away.

"I tell you, it has just been the craziest night. Y'all enjoy," and then Holly scooted away to another booth.

"I'm so glad you brought me out tonight, Zola. Thank you, darlin'," Said Evelyn with a twinkle in her eye.

"You act like this is a one time thing—you have to promise me that you're going to get out more, Aunt Evelyn. There's more to life than the grocery store and wrestling."

"I'll drink to that," said Evelyn conspiratorially after she looked over at the bar and found Joe Hunt looking at her with a big smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Over at Jason's booth they had all finished up their dinner and Donnie had taken Timbo and Becky to the pool room with Jason's permission to show them a little about the game. Little Michelle was asleep in her carrier and he was feeding Corbett a bottle when he spied Hoyt and Maxine Fortenberry walk through the door. He caught Hoyt's attention and waved them over.<p>

"Oh my! Are these the babies? Bless their little hearts, they're adorable," Maxine peeped further into Michelle's carrier and tucked her blanket a touch more snugly around her. "Jason Stackhouse, why haven't you had me over to come see these precious angels?"

"I didn't mean no slight, Mrs. Fortenberry. I just been so busy. I ain't even had a chance to come over and have a beer with Hoyt," he apologized.

"Yeah, well I live with Hoyt and never get a chance to have a beer with him, so join the club," she complained gruffly.

"Mama, I ain't havin' that tonight. I brought you out because you been complainin' that I never take you anywhere. Now here I am—takin' you somewhere," Hoyt said irritatedly.

"You watch how you talk to me, boy, I'm still you're mother."

"Well then act like one instead of one of these babies here."

Even Jason smarted at Hoyt's comment to Maxine, who looked like she was about to cry.

"Mrs. Fortenberry, please join me?" Jason asked her sweetly. He shot Hoyt a 'What the fuck?' look and motioned him to sit down, as well.

"You two have at it," Hoyt said angrily. "I'm going and get a damn beer," he said as he stalked off to the bar.

"What's eatin' at him?"

"Me, I guess. I'm going to have to find my own place to live, Jason, That boy needs his space and I know it. I just don't get enough on my social security to afford a place of my own. And when I think that I had a house, almost paid for..."

"Mrs. Fortenberry, I'm so sorry. Things are gonna work out, you just wait and see. In the meantime I'm gonna talk to that boy."

"No, Jason, don't. He's already mad about everything: me losing my house; Jessica; he just got passed over for a promotion by his boss's son—it ain't been easy on him and I ain't helping things," she said sadly. "You know, I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but Jessica really was good for him. I don't understand what went wrong for them."

"Well, Mrs. Fortenberry, I think neither one of 'em was really ready for that kind of commitment," Jason said delicately.

"You know, I've had a lot of time alone to think about our vampire situation here and I still don't know what to make of it all. But I promise if Hoyt ever fell in love with another vampire girl I won't make the same mistake I made with Jessica. At the end of the day you just want your children to be happy and to find someone who makes them happy; someone that brings the kindness out of them so much that they just want to spend all their time givin' it back. That's how Hoyt was with Jessica. I ain't heard a smile in that boy's voice once since they broke up. And I don't know what to do about it."

"It ain't nothing you can do about it, Mrs. Fortenberry; his heartbreak is just gonna have to run its course—but that don't give him license to treat you bad."

"I deserve it, Jason."

"No, you don't. All you need is a place of your own. And if he was a real man, instead of complainin' and making you feel bad he'd help you find a nice place and see to it that you got in it. And then he would help you stay in it. I know times are tough, but ain't nothing too tough that you can't work it out, especially when you got people in your life that love you. And I know he loves you._ I _know he loves you and so do you. And I'm gonna talk to him. And don't you worry, I'm gonna make sure he knows it's coming from me and not you."

"You're a good man, Jason Stackhouse. How are you doing, honey? You sure got your hands full right quick." Maxine didn't know the story behind Jason's new family and she wasn't asking. Or judging.

"Yeah. I had to take a break, bring the kids out for a little fun. I got to find a full-time babysitter, a nanny or something, by Monday. I'm trying to get Timbo and Becky into school and I gotta find somebody I can trust to watch these little ones while I'm at work," he said worriedly.

"You ain't had no luck, honey?"

"Well, some. But good, reputable people cost more than I can afford right now."

"How much you payin?" she asked as a light bulb went off in her head.

"I can only afford seven hundred dollars a month, and that's stretchin' it. And do you know daycare is almost twice that? And the multiple child discount is a joke," he said disgustedly.

"I'd watch them for free, Jason, if I still had my house. But if you could see your way clear to paying me five hundred a month I'd be able to help you out and afford a place of my own."

"Uh, that's real sweet of you Mrs. Fortenberrry," Jason began awkwardly. All he could think of was the fact that Maxine didn't know about the kids being from Hotshot and how much more freaked out she would be if she knew that Michelle and Corbett could be half-werepanthers and that Becky and Timbo were full. "I appreciate your offer mightily, but..."

"Surely you're not going to tell me no, Jason," she said as the hurt and disappointment registered on her face.

"There's just some things you don't know and quite frankly...well, when I tell you that I need someone I can trust I mean just that."

"Jason what is it? You can trust me and I'm not sayin' that because I need the money."

"Alright, Mrs. Fortenberry, I'm gonna tell you something real confidential; ain't but a select handful of people that know about this and Hoyt is one of them. I'm not going into details, but after I tell you about my kids you might decide you don't want the job. And if you don't I'll understand, but I got to trust you not to spread my business around like Saturday mornin' gossip at the beauty parlor. This is real important and I gotta have that sincere and serious promise from you."

"Jason, you have it, honey. You have my promise," she said simply and sincerely and reached out to take Jason's hand in hers. Jason leaned closer to her across the table and was about to speak when he thought better of it.

"Mrs. Fortenberry, please come sit next to me, this is really private."

Maxine said nothing as she got up immediately to come sit beside him. When she was settled Jason whispered in her ear what he needed to tell her about the kids. He gave her the bare bones truth; he related his abduction, his escape with the help of Becky and Timbo and the end result that was the two babies in their carriers. As she listened the look of horror on Maxine's face turned to pure anguish; for Jason, his experience; their shared familiarity with pain and heartbreak. As she sat listening quietly to him talk of his love for them all and his determination to protect them and bring them up with love her eyes filled with admiration and tears. When he was done she kissed the top of his forehead as if he was just a babe himself and looked him in his eyes and smiled.

"Jason, I would be honored to watch your babies." The heavy weight of Jason's frustration and anxiety visibly lifted from him and he began to sob in relief. Maxine took him in her arms delicately as he was still holding little Corbett. She held him fast and let him get his cry out; she said nothing as she just patted his back. She knew that, no matter how mad Hoyt was at her; no matter how imperfect she was a a person; she was a good mother.


	50. A Promise

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 50 A Promise

To say that Lettie Mae Daniels was excited was quite the understatement. True to her sister's words the previous evening she was indeed about to see her precious daughter. She was supposed to be at bible study in her husband's class but when Tara called her just after sundown she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I understand, Lettie Mae," Reverend Daniels told her with a wan smile. He had liked Tara when she was human, even though she had been very troubled. But the verdict was still out on vampires where he was concerned. He was glad he wasn't going to be there when she came. "I'm glad you two will have the opportunity to talk again. Give her my regards?"

Lettie Mae knew how her husband felt but it still hurt a little bit that he was so mechanical about it all. Of course, she had been even worse about it all when her daughter had come to her that strange and shocking night, so on the one hand she totally couldn't blame him. What was really eating at her was the cold realization that although he was saying the appropriate words he wasn't feeling them at all—and probably never would. There was just something in his tone that told her that, although his door was open, he would never be there to ever receive her daughter in earnest. Lettie Mae just looked at him numbly and nodded.

"I'll see you later, dear." He kissed her cheek then gathered his bible and briefcase and left.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Sook!" came Tara's happy voice through the phone.<p>

"Hey, Tara! I'm so glad I caught you...you busy?"

"Well, I'm goin' to see my mama, but I was gonna call you and see if I could stop by later."

"I'm so glad to hear that, honey. And yes, please stop by, I can't wait to see you and thank you in person for what you did for me the other night."

"Girl, please. I'm really glad you and Eric are working things out, too. Is he there?"

"No, not yet. He's trying to finish some things up at Fangtasia so we can spend more time together tonight. But I don't expect him until at least after ten. Why?"

"Me and Bill wanted to go to Merlotte's this evening to say goodbye to Sam..."

"You and _Bill_?" Sookie ribbed her.

"Yes, and cut that out," Tara playfully scolded her. "You have some time maybe before Eric comes home to join us?"

"Yeah, that would be fun—I'd love to. This is a rare Friday night where Hadley and Remy are staying home for a change. Coby and Lisa are here spending the night with Hunter. We all just had dinner and they're in the dining room playing Quelf with the kids. They won't miss me. As a matter of fact, why don't I just meet you two there?"

"That'll work."

"What time should I meet you there?"

"We should be there by nine, that cool?"

"Way cool. See you soon!"

"Okay, see ya." The women rang off.

* * *

><p>Tara knocked on her mother's door bearing a dozen fresh cut perfect red roses and a small wrapped gift. When Lettie Mae opened the door her heart melted on the spot as she gathered her daughter into her arms and hugged with all of her might.<p>

"I'm so sorry, baby, I'm so sorry—can you ever forgive me? She said as she pulled her through the front door.

"Mama, I forgave you that night. I know it was more than a shock, but so much was going on and I had to see you and there was just no time for delicacy. Here, these are for you..." she handed her mother the flowers.

"Oh baby, they're beautiful. Get on in here, now, and sit with me..."

Tara followed her mother to the living room.

"I want to put these in water, but I don't want to leave you right now," said Lettie Mae as she felt the tears beginning to form. "I could water them with these," she joked as she wiped at the corners of her eyes.

"As long as they're happy tears, mama."

"They are, baby."

"Look, I only have a little time. I have a job, mama. Actually, Bill and will be working together. Now, I can't give you any particulars, but it involves a lot of travel. We're flyin' out of the country in the mornin'..."

"Okay, wait. In the mornin'?" asked Lettie Mae confused.

"We have a special charter service we use that allows for safe transport and protection—don't be worried. And where we're goin' takes, like, a whole day to fly there, but we'll be well protected from the sun."

"Well, where are you goin'?"

"All I can tell you is that we're goin' to Europe. But we'll be back in a few weeks."

Lettie Mae was overwhelmed and speechless.

"It's okay, really," Tara tried to reassure her.

"Well, I just don't know what to say. I just got you back and now you're leavin' again. Ruby Jean told me everything that happened. The Reverend and I were away in Memphis and Atlanta for revival...I never knew..."

"You don't have to explain. I'm glad you were spared the drama while it was happening. And I knew that if I survived it I was gonna come back here and see you again. Look, I want to give you a little something. It's just a little something, but it would mean a lot to me to know you have this," she said as she handed her a small gift-wrapped package.

"It looks like a music CD," said Lettie Mae as she unwrapped it eagerly. "This Whitney Houston's last album? I always wanted that but never did get out for it," she smiled as she looked at the beautiful singer's picture on the front sleeve.

"It's a great album, mama, but there's a special song on here that makes me think of us. And I want you to promise me that if you ever get sad thinking about me that you will play it and smile instead of cry...and know that I will always come back for you. Will you promise me that?"

"Yes, baby, I promise," Lettie Mae said, more touched to her heart than she could express.

"I know you gotta have a CD player around here..."

"We do, right over there," Lettie Mae pointed to a console where the mini stereo system was housed.

Tara went to it, put in the CD and started the track she wanted her mother to hear. Within seconds a lovely song called "Like I Never Left" began to play.

"Listen to the words, mama," Tara whispered after she gave her mother a kiss to her cheek.

The two women sat and listened, Lettie Mae for the first time as Tara lip-synched her serenade. When it was done she hugged her daughter as she fought back more tears.

"Please play this if you ever start to worry about me. And only happy tears, mama. Promise me?"

"I promise, baby."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I do not own "Like I Never Left" by Whitney Houston. RIP, Whitney. **_


	51. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler Pt 2

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 51 Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler Pt. 2

"What's all this about?" Hoyt asked, still irritated, when he came back to Jason's booth and found Maxine comforting him. Jason rose up from Maxine's embrace then and managed to regain his composure.

"Hoyt, either shut up and sit down or go get yourself another drink—preferably something hot?" Maxine's words were harsh, but there was nothing but love in her voice. Hoyt sat down.

"Uh, excuse me guys," Jason said as he rose and put Corbett in his carrier. "I'm gonna go tell Becky and Timbo the good news." Maxine rose to let him out of the booth.

"Jason just gave me a job...I'm gonna watch the kids for him," said Maxine with a big smile on her face when she sat back down.

A nervous look formed immediately on Hoyt's.

"I know about Hotshot, Hoyt. Jason told me," Maxine informed her son in a near whisper.

"What?"

"And I'm gonna see after these children. When I get enough money I'm moving out, honey," she said, louder.

Hoyt was not sure that he was hearing things right and looked at his mother completely surprised. "What?"

* * *

><p>Out in the parking lot Sookie was just about to get out of her car when she looked up and saw Bill ready to open her door and Tara standing beside him with her arms open ready to give her a hug. She unlocked it quickly and jumped out to greet them both.<p>

"Hey you," she gave Bill a hug. "And you..." she released him and went to her friend and did the same.

"So y'all got your plans all set?" asked Tara regarding Sookie's upcoming trip with Eric. They linked arms and headed for the entrance.

"No, we're going to talk about all that tonight."

"Well, let us know when you'll be there—everything is so close by, if we can we should try to meet up somewhere," suggested Tara.

"Oh my God, that would be so great! I will, as soon as I know something."

* * *

><p>"You may be drunk, but your ears ain't, Hoyt—you heard me right. I realize your journey to manhood has been about as slow as a snail runnin' a race in an ocean of jello, but I also realize that's been my fault. And I'm sorry I loved you so much that I put all my stock into you instead of gettin' a life of my own. It was wrong of me. But somehow you survived me. That's all over now. As soon as I have enough to pay my move-in fees I'll be outta your place and into my own.<p>

"Somewhere out there is a woman who's not a shrew, like I used to be; and she's not Jessica, waiting to break your heart. And no decent woman is gonna respond to you like this, Hoyt. This is not you, son—you are not this man that's been running around chewin' up women and spittin' 'em out like bad tobacco juice. Why, that ain't no man, at all. Whatever I did or didn't do—I didn't raise a son of mine to be a no account shitheel like that. So do yourself a favor and stop wallowing in yourself—pull it together. And you might like to think about gettin' yourself a cup of coffee or two so that Sheriff Jones won't have to pull you over and haul you in to lock-up tonight."

Jason came back to the booth then and Maxine stood up to let him back in. Hoyt looked up at her, stunned and more than a little hurt at her brute frankness. Maxine went to him, took his hand in hers and gave it a pat as she leaned down and spoke in his ear.

"I love you, son. Don't you ever forget it." she left the two men to go introduce herself to Becky and Timbo. As she passed by Evelyn's table she gave her a wave and a nod to Zola, who had just been approached by Sam, and went on her way.

"Everything good here, ladies?" Sam asked Zola and Evelyn.

"Just fine, Sam," Evelyn assured him.

"Zola, I'm gonna be needin' your help behind the bar soon—remember you promised."

"I sure do. I'm ready when you are," she smiled at him.

Just then Bill, Tara and Sookie entered Merlotte's as Holly waved at Sam to come to the back and meet her.

"Uh, excuse me, ladies, one last thing to take care of in back." Sam gave Zola's cheek a peck and rushed away. Tara noticed Sam immediately and the spark between him and the pretty little thing sitting with Ms. Evelyn. Zola became aware of Tara watching her and as both women looked at one another Tara smiled at her and then went on her way to make the rounds with Bill and Sookie saying hello to everyone.

"Who's that?" asked Zola of her aunt when she saw Tara make a beeline for Sam, who had returned to the bar.

"That's Tara Thornton and Bill Compton; the cute little blonde is Sookie Stackhouse—she works here, too."

"Bill and Tara are..."

"Vampires. Vampire Bill is almost two hundred years old—he was born here and fought in the Civil War. Tara's a hometown girl, too, but she just became a vampire a little while ago. Quite the couple, huh?"

"Yeah," she said as she watched Sam and Tara head to the kitchen. "They seem to be well-liked..." Zola said absently, returning her attention to Bill, who was at Jason's booth delicately retrieving Michelle from her carrier, and Sookie, who gave her brother a fond kiss to his cheek and then retrieved her crying nephew from his carrier.

"They are. That Tara's a real pistol though—seemed like she got nicer after she became a vampire...damnedest thing I ever did see."

"Nicer?"

"Oh, hell yeah. She was a real hellcat, that girl; became a cage fighter, down in New Orleans for a while...I caught one of her bouts on a WEC streaming something or other—Jimmy Delahoussaye from next door let me come over and watch it on his big flat screen TV—she wasn't nothin' nice at all. Won every bout I ever saw."

"Really," said Zola as she looked back towards the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"What's going on back here?" asked Tara when she saw Sheriff Kenya Jones come out of Sam's office leading a handcuffed man out to her cruiser.<p>

"That's Lenny Bean; delivers beer for Tipton Distributing...he went home for lunch today between deliveries and found his wife in bed with his cousin. Needless to say there's a few bars between Monroe and Shreveport missin' a delivery today. He beat the hell out of his cousin and then went on a bender and ended up here. Don't ask me why..."

"Well, we just wanted to stop by and say hey. Me and Bill are going on another trip, out of the country for a while."

"Okay, my nickname for you two is now officially Ralph and Alice."

"Huh?" Tara smiled her question at him.

"You know—The Honeymooner's," Sam told her.

"Oh, ha, ha..." she gave him a playful punch to his arm. "The kitchen looks great, Sam—real state-of- the-art there," she pointed to the new Molteni stove and the other improvements, "and you got it done so quick! And you changed out the bar—the flat screen is a nice touch."

"Thanks. Yeah, I had to get it done quick—folks needed their paychecks."

"So, who's the dish sittin' with Ms. Evelyn?"

Sam couldn't hold back a huge grin. "That's her niece, Zola."

"Uh huh. Well, I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For you to take me out there and give my nose a work-out, rubbin' it in," she gave him a warm hug. "I know I don't know anything about her, but that smile on your face tells me everything I do need to know. I'm really happy for you, Sam."

"Thanks, sweetheart...come on out and meet her..."

* * *

><p>It was nearing eleven pm and business at Merlotte's was still more than brisk. Jason had spent a little time with Sookie and then took the kids on home to get the babies to bed; Hoyt had indeed taken the time to sober up and was ready to call it a night, as well. He bid all of his friends goodnight and escorted his mother home feeling a lot better about himself than when he had first gotten there. The kitchen was closed and most of the wait staff cleared out, but the bar was hopping and the pool room, as well. Bill and Sookie sat at a booth talking quietly. Evelyn Camp, surprised at her ability to stay awake so late, was having herself a nice conversation with Joe Hunt at the bar, where Zola and Tara both helped Sam keep the drinks flowing and the remaining patrons happy.<p>

"Well, it's been fun, Sam, but we gotta go," said Tara when she looked over at Bill and saw a particularly knowing gleam in his eye. "We're flyin' out in the morning and still have some loose ends to tie up before we go," she said as she topped off an Irish coffee and gave it to the gentleman in front of her.

"Well, thanks so much, darlin', this was fun," Sam gave her a kiss to the cheek.

"Yeah, it was. Nice to meet you, Zola," she said genuinely. "You two take good care of each other, hear?" she said as she untied her apron and set it on the counter.

"You, too, Tara." Zola didn't know why she felt compelled to do so, but she gave Tara a warm, strong hug which Tara returned.

Tara went to join Bill just as Sookie's cell phone rang.

"Hi...I'm at Merlotte's..." before she could say another word Eric was standing before them all.

"Good evening all." Eric's tone was civil but tinged with urgency. "Sookie, I went to the house and you weren't there...I need to speak with you, please..." he held out his hand to her. "Please excuse us," he said to Bill and Tara as he led her outside.

Bill and Tara exchanged quizzical glances but said nothing. They both looked over at the bar where Sam and Zola had noted his sudden entrance and urgent demeanor. Sam and Tara both shook their heads in question at each other, both of their brows creased with worry. Bill raised his hand to bid them adieu and led Tara away.

"What was that all about?" asked Zola, aware then of another woman Sam cared deeply about.

"I don't know, but I don't like it..." he answered her simply.


	52. Reunion

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 52 Reunion

Eric and Sookie hadn't been in the house five minutes when a visitor came calling.

"Hello, Eric."

"Eric, who is this woman and what is she doing in my house uninvited?" asked Sookie, angry and awestruck, looking at the tall, stunning brunette vampire who had just burst through her front door.

"It's not your house, now is it?" she said to Sookie as she glared at her pointedly.

"A temporary technicality", Eric said, which forced the other vampire's gaze back upon him.

"Umm," she licked her lips salaciously and sniffed the air, rolling her eyes in obvious delight, "she smells tasty...all of a sudden I'm so hungry..."

"Enough," Eric ordered her sternly.

"How long has it been, Eric? Two, almost three hundred years? And this is how you greet me? If I had a heart it would be breaking right now. And so rude! Such lovely refreshments yet you've offered me none," she said, referring to Sookie and Remy Savoy, who had just walked cautiously into the room from upstairs.

"This is not the time or the place," he warned her.

"I'm inclined to disagree, dear brother."

"Brother?" Sookie repeated, flabbergasted.

"Oh, did he never tell you? Well, my big brother was always very good with his secrets. I see things haven't changed—so comforting, I think—don't you?" she directed at Sookie. She waited for Eric to introduce them and after a pregnant moment introduced herself. "I am Nora. Godric was my Maker."

"My understanding was that you would be arriving in two weeks—a change in plans?" Eric interrupted her with venom in his voice.

"No, not at all. I've been planning this for quite some time, now," she said threateningly.

Remy went to Sookie's side. "Sookie, you okay, you? What's going on in here, chére?" he whispered at her from the side of his mouth, careful not to take his eyes off of either vampire.

"That's what I'm trying to find out, Remy," said Sookie loudly as she looked angrily at Eric.

"Everyone! Silence!" yelled Eric at them all. He and Nora looked at each other and locked eyes, their hatred for each other radiating waves of palpable heat that Sookie swore she could feel choking the air out of the room.

Remy took Sookie by the arm. "Come on, chére, this ain't no happy family reunion," he spoke to her in a careful whisper as he led her out of the room.

"Have you really grown so insane so soon into your existence, Nora? Octavian Valerius? He's mad."

"I could ask you the same, mooning about over some fae blood bag," she said in a tone way beyond disgust.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" he roared at her.

"Eric, please—I know everything. And stop shouting at me, please, it's so fucking human," she said, her tone bored and condescending.

"So this is what you've been doing all of this time? Too busy furthering your own selfish political aspirations to come to your Maker's aid when he needed you."

Nora laughed at him. "Since when has that been a crime amongst vampires, furthering one's own selfish political aspirations? You do the very same in your sleep each day," she said with utter contempt. "Come to my Maker's aid? That was not MY Maker, Eric; MY Maker would never have done such a thing. I don't know who he was and I'm glad I was not here to see with my own eyes what a weak vampire he had become—and what a weak vampire he turned you into. Being weary of existence I can understand; but dance into the flames with dignity; give yourself over to the sun and let it be done, at last. But to sacrifice yourself for the sake of humans? Oh, a grand gesture, to be sure. And pointless. A waste. An abomination. Do not stand before ME and utter the word 'insane'-remember your Godric—better yet, look in the mirror."

Eric walked up slowly and stood before her.

"Get out, Nora." His voice was low, his words measured.

"He knows that I am here, Eric. He knows that you will never be swayed to his way of thinking; he knows that you will never cooperate in earnest—Godric and Isabel; Russel Edgington; this ridiculous, pathetic menage a tois between you, Bill Compton and the fairy—you have played right into his hands without him having to lift one boney, manipulative finger. He has the AVL and World Vampire Federation all on his side—and against you. Everything you have worked for, everything that you've built, everyone that you wish to protect—all of your_ aspirations_—they're all dead. And the True Death awaits you, brother..."

She grabbed him by the throat with her vampire speed but Eric caught her hand and pried it off of him; he pushed her away with a strength that she matched easily, but only because the blood of a powerful Maker coursed through her veins. They struggled against one another until they were at arms length of each other, the steely grip of his hand clutching the powerful grasp of her own. To the human eye they looked like two statues: chiseled in an eternal repose of the truest representation of the thin line between love and hate, etched in stunning, perfect white marble. Suddenly she won the battle and yanked him even closer within her embrace; caressing his ear with her lips she said in an almost inaudible whisper, "unless you let me help you."


	53. If You Don't Mind

A/N: Drat this long hiatus...I have a feeling that Season 5 is going to be spectacular-can't wait!

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 53 If You Don't Mind

"Well, we finally have the place to ourselves..." said Sam as he turned out all of the lights in the restaurant and ushered Zola out into the night. He locked the door and led her down the steps into the parking lot.

"So, now what?" Zola asked him with a knowing smile.

"Uh-uh, don't get ahead of yourself just yet," he cautioned her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, Zola, I'm not a fancy man, not a cultured guy at all. I own this bar, I got a little money and I live an otherwise simple life. I live in a trailer out back and I've been a lonely guy for a lot of years. I've got a past..."

"We all have a past, Sam," she said softly, taking note that his tone was becoming sombre and serious.

"I've got secrets, Zola. I don't know what it is about you, but I want to share everything about myself with you. I'm just afraid that after I do you'll say no thanks—and I wouldn't be able to blame you one bit. But I need to let you know that much before we even take this walk, because we could just end it here and now. You've seen a pretty good representation of this town in the bar tonight and sometimes I feel like every supernatural in the world lives here in Bon Temps. Then again, this place is more than home to me and pretty much for just that reason."

"Sam, what are you trying to tell me?"

"You need to know right now what I am," he said as he began to unbutton his shirt.

"Sam? What're you..."

"Some of the people here know about me now, but all of 'em don't know everything," he said as he stepped out of his shoes and jeans, "but what I feel for you—I just don't think I can take one more heartbreak, Zola. And if I take you back to my trailer...I just need to know that I have a real chance with you. But you need to know this, first..." Sam took her hand and gave it a sweet but apologetic kiss; he placed her hand gingerly back at her side and then transformed. Zola stared at the English Shepard sitting at her feet and stumbled backwards on unsteady legs.

"Wh-what...I've never...Sam?" Zola was breathless and beyond shock. Continuing to back away from him she stumbled over a rock and was about to fall when Sam raced around her, transformed again and caught her in his arms.

"I'll understand if you don't want to see me again...I know it's a shock...Zola? Zola?"

"Give me a minute, will you? I really need to sit down. You have a chair in your trailer, don't you?" she looked him very pointedly in his eyes and Sam saw only shocked acceptance.

"Yeah, I have a couple of chairs, and a couch, too..."

"Yeah? That couch sounds real good, right about now." Sam was in slight shock, himself.

"If you don't get some clothes back on, like, real soon, Mr. Merlotte, I just might not be responsible for my actions..."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah...lead the way, please..."

Sam scooped up his clothes and did as she told him.

Once inside his trailer Sam settled Zola on the couch then went to his bedroom and put a fresh pair of pants on; he came back with a fresh shirt in hand, and as he started to put it on Zola stopped him.

"No, I want you topless—I'm really enjoying the view."

"Really? You gonna return the favor?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

"No, I don't. I know what I'd like the answer to be, though."

"Sit down, already. Explain this to me."

"I'm a Shapeshifter, Zola—not to be confused with a Werewolf, though."

"I know the difference—I've read and watched enough science fiction—you can change into any animal, right? And anyone?"

"No, not other humans. Well, I could if I killed another shifter in my family...then I'd be a Skinwalker. But I can't do that."

"Good Lord."

Sam hesitated. "But my brother can."

"Your brother can..." she repeated slowly as she shot him a look of understanding. "Who in your family did he kill?"

"It's a long, long story..."

"I have all night."

Sam sat beside her on his couch. "It was an accident, Zola, he didn't mean to—it was self-defense."

"Your family sounds pretty dangerous, Sam."

"They were. My momma was a Shifter; Joe Lee, her husband, was human, but just barely." Sam could see the confusion on Zola's face and had to laugh, in spite of himself. "That's a story in itself, darlin'. He was a bad man—probably as bad as your late grandmother."

"Wow," was all she could say as she took his words in.

"I was her firstborn and she gave me away. I was raised by the Merlotte's until they found out what I was and left me; they just packed up all their shit one day and left. I came home from school and the house was empty. I was fifteen years old. I had nowhere to go. It wasn't until then that I even knew I was adopted. But I had no folks of my own; the people I had known up to that point as my relatives—well, I knew I couldn't go to them. I resorted to a life of crime."

"You were just a boy..." she said sympathetically.

"I wasn't a boy when I murdered two people."

Zola had no words for that revelation.

"When I told you I'd probably meet you in hell I meant it. But I don't think you'll be there."

"Just tell me what happened. I'm not judging."

"I was a jewel thief; I used my ability to get into places and rob 'em blind. My partner was a woman—I wanted to marry her. I had just pulled off my last big job and was ready to run away with her. I never revealed myself to her, never told her what I was or how I did it, but I thought she loved me. She was just using me, her and her real man. They jacked me—took it all. I hunted them down, determined to get it back. I found them; I got into a scuffle with her man, of course—I had a gun—it went off..." Sam's anguish felt fresh and as raw as the day it happened and he began to choke up as he struggled to finish. "I shot her accidentally—I didn't want to hurt her, I just wanted my loot. I still loved her, you see? He was a done deal. I shot him dead then—a bullet straight to his brain, in a rage. If she hadn't been killed I could have walked away...I could have walked away..." Sam pulled himself together and managed to look at her, his eyes full of sorrow and regret.

"Oh my God," Zola reached out to him and brought him into her embrace where Sam clung to her for dear life. "So much pain..." she murmured into his hair as her own tears began to fall.

"I'm a criminal, Zola; a liar; a murderer; a horrible brother; I'm a man who's had a lot of dark impulses that I've acted on; I'm not a good person—that's a facade. I don't even know how I thought I could have someone like you in my life." Sam pushed her away and rose up from the couch. "It's not right for me to have told you any of this...I'm no man for you. I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinkin'..."

"Sam..."

"No, I'm sorry. You should go, forget you ever met me..." he pulled her up off the couch.

"Sam? No, what are you doing?" she protested as he led her to the door.

"Just go, Zola, I'm nothing but bad news."

"Sam, stop!" she shouted at him and brought him out of himself.

"What?"

"Somebody told me once that this world was chock full of imperfect people and that a lot of them were the nicest people I'd ever meet. And he was right as rain. Don't push me away, Sam, please don't..."

"Zola..."

"Sam, the only thing that will make me think badly of you right now is if you don't shut up and hold me...I need to hug you. I need you to hug me."

Sam did as she commanded him, thankful that such a woman existed in the world.

"Now, let's sit back down, huh? I don't expect to get your whole life story tonight. I do have some questions, though. Or we can do that another time, as well."

"No, ask away. I'm just so happy that you're still here. You're actually still here?"

"Well, where else would I be? Especially after our first kiss. That was one for the books, Mister Merlotte, in case you didn't know."

"I've got more of those for you, Miss Camp, in case _you_ didn't know."

"Good—we're on the same page, then."

"Zola, I never thought I could be a happy man; when I first saw you, I don't know what it was about you, but I flashed on you and me—and it _was_ like a bolt of lightning. Do you know what I saw?"

"No, what?"

"I saw me coming home to a real house, with you in it; I saw children, beautiful little replicas of you—a boy and two girls—all running to greet me. And what I saw was beautiful but what I felt was even more amazing; looking at you I felt _family_...I don't know any other way to explain it. I felt like the possibility was real, for once in my sorry life; I wanted to claim it, I wanted to claim you. I've never felt that in my life like that before. I've been in love, real love, but never with anyone that I could hold on to that way; they were there, but not available and I knew they weren't available—do you know what I mean?"

"I think I do. Someone who's good for now but you know deep in your heart there's no real promise of later?"

"Exactly!"

"And when you get real honest with yourself you know that you're not really ready for later, at all?"

"Oh my God, yes..."

"I've been there. The love was real, but just not quite enough, for whatever reason. Not a crime, just a fact. You don't even try to lay blame anywhere because it just not that kind of party."

"Damn. The vampire you met tonight—Tara—that was us down to the letter."

"I was jealous of her when I first saw her come through the door. Then she made a beeline for you—I wanted to stake her."

"Zola Camp..." said Sam, quite surprised by her brutal honesty.

"You're not the only one with a dark side, Sam. Then I met her. I was still jealous, but she was so nice! And she was so genuinely happy for you that I couldn't hate. That's a love we should all be so lucky to have."

"I guess it didn't hurt that she was there with her man," Sam cocked an eyebrow at her. Zola had to chuckle.

"No, it didn't hurt at all. So, Sam was in love with a vampire," she said after she led him back to couch and settled down with him again.

"No, before she was turned."

"Oh, wow. My auntie tells me she's gotten nicer since she was turned."

"It may seem that way. Tara always had a lot of love in her, for a lot of people who didn't even deserve it. Just full of unconditional love. She still seems to have a hundred per cent of her humanity—she's basically a newborn, you know? From what I understand about vampires some of them lose their humanity completely, either over time or just shed it when they're made. I think it's a conscious decision on her part to keep it. She's a lot like her Maker, Bill, in that regard. It could have easily been the other way around. She's real close to her cousin and I think she was determined to prove to him that she would always be capable of love. But don't get it twisted—she was a tough one when she was human, not one you should anger. Ever. To this day day she'll die for the ones she loves, but enemies now are, first and foremost, primarily for killing. Period."

"Bill is her Maker and her lover?"

"For all intents and purposes they're husband and wife, but yes."

"Do vampires get married?"

"Well, when Bill turned her he was the vampire king of Louisiana and he made Tara his consort. But if you're asking me if they have weddings and marriage licenses I just couldn't tell you." They both laughed lightly.

"And what about you, Sam? What is the supernatural life like for you?"

"Well, not much different from yours. Except that I can shift any time I want after I've imprinted on an animal I've actually seen with my own eyes. During the full moon I can't help it, have no control over not shifting. That's were people get us mixed up with Were's, I think. That's the only thing we have in common. In Were families all of the offspring are Were's and only one type of animal: wolves, or panthers or whatever; in Shifter families only the firstborn is a Shifter, the other offspring will be human."

"But you said your brother is a Skinwalker..."

"Joe Lee was my momma's husband. But my father and Tommy's were both Shifters and we were both the firstborn from those unions."

"Oh. So when a Shifter has a child with a human?"

"Well, I don't know. Yet." Sam looked Zola in her eyes and then took her hand in his. "All the Shifters I've ever known married other Shifters or Werewolves."

"Shifters marrying Werewolves?"

"Yeah. My ex-girlfriend is a Shifter, her ex-husband was a Werewolf and she's not quite sure which her daughter is going to be yet."

"My head is spinning right now."

"Of course it is," Sam smiled at her. "So, is having a life with me that included children something you could even remotely fathom, Zola? I mean, our kids would be..."

"Raised with lots of love and understanding, either way it goes."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. But I'd like to at least go on a couple more dates first, if you don't mind."

"Is that all?" he asked as he leaned in closer to her.

"For starters."

"What else?"

"Well, making love sometime in the near future might help a little."

"Just a little?"

"Uh-huh," she said as she nuzzled in to him.

"There's no time like the present..."

"No."

Sam could not believe his ears.

"No?"

"No. I'm already burning for you, Mr. Merlotte, but it's going to take more than one night to put this fire out. You have to work tomorrow and I'd like to be home before nightfall..."

"You seriously think I can spend the night with you and keep my hands off of you?"

"You're more than welcomed to put your hands on me, Sam."

"I don't believe this..."

"I propose that you work out a way to be off next weekend and I'll do the same. Then we can spend some real time together—you'll be able to put your hands on me and we'll arrange for some other body parts to commune with each other, as well."

"You're really gonna make me wait a week for you?"

"It's going to fly by, I promise."

"So, are you coming back here or can I invite myself over to your place?"

"I'd love to invite you to my place."

"Good, cuz I'd like to save you the drive. As a matter of fact, I'm gonna pack a bag now," he said as he rose, took her hand and led her to his bedroom.

"What?"

"I'm gonna pack a bag now so that when I get there I'll have some clothes to wear..."

"I don't understand..."

"Well, the last time I went to Baton Rouge I flew there..."

"So, why are you packing a bag now? You can bring it on the plane..."

"I won't be on a plane, darlin'..."

* * *

><p>"Ah, my lovely one, you have returned to me."<p>

"My Liege," Nora knelt before the imposing figure standing in front of her and bowed her head. He was lean, a man of classic Patrician good-looks and stately bearing at six feet and four inches. His eyes were piercing blue pools of electric blue, intensified more by his shock of jet blue-black hair that hung long and loose as it gently caressed the top of his shoulders. He was dressed in a modern style: a simple pair of jeans and an unbuttoned fitted grey vest showing off his astounding pectorals, long waist and his general Olympian physique. As was his usual custom in the privacy of his own quarters he wore no shoes upon his feet.

"Did it go as we expected?"

"Exactly."

"Rise."

Nora did as she was commanded and only then did she look up into her king's eyes. She stood before him at attention.

"It is unfortunate. Your brother could have been a formidable ally."

"His loss."

The vampire before her let out a hearty laugh. "What a coup for me that I was able to appropriate you, my dear."

Nora bristled inwardly but showed no outward emotion at his insulting words to her at all.

"What, with your impressive AVL connections and credentials and your grand parentage...to say that I am pleased is quite the understatement." He walked slowly around her until he was behind her, his towering presence radiating like the heat of the very sun. "Can you feel how pleased I am, lovely one?"

"Very much, my Liege," she said simply, not moving a muscle.

"So terse and tense you are—was it that taxing on you, your brief reunion with your brother?"

"Not at all." Nora dared to lean in to him slightly.

"Is that an invitation, love?"

"My Liege needs no invitation."

"Oh, my delectable Nora; I wish I had been the one to taste your sweet nectar first and bond you to me, mind and soul; I do greatly enjoy this body, but here is where I desire to be even more..." he said as he took her head into his huge hands and massaged her skull, lightly at first and then with an intensity that should have alarmed her, but did not. "I could crush this fragile cranium, peer into it and still never know really what exactly lurks about there. Your aloofness haunts me and excites me all at once."

"I know that you do not trust me, Octavian, this is nothing new. But I am done trying to prove myself to you. My actions speak for themselves. However, if your words are true then make good on this excitement you claim that you feel and do it now—I have need of you," she leaned into him just a tad more.

"Do you, now?"

"I do—stop toying with me. There is still much to discuss before the sun rises, either fuck me now or we can try this again tomorrow night..." she said irritatedly as she made to disengage from him with a slight shake of her head in his hands. He stilled her abruptly and pressed his body closer to hers.

"Not so fast, my impetuous one...only you are able to get away with such insolence."

"So you say," she murmured at him, locked then in the vise-grip of his embrace.

"I say..." he growled his desire into her neck.


	54. And In This Corner

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 54 And In This Corner...

"What is it, Tara?"

"You know damn well what it is...I'm worried about Sookie..."

"Eric will not let anything bad happen to her," Bill tried to reassure his love. Tara groaned.

"I really wish I could believe that, Bill. It's never-ending in this damn town. I thought Bon Temps was gonna get a break from all the mayhem, at least for a while. It's always fucking something," she said disgustedly.

They had just arrived at the house and had retired immediately to their bedroom. Tara stood before a window peering out into the night, her arms crossed defiantly, with a scowl on her face that Bill could see clearly in the reflection of the glass. He went to her and put his arms about her. Tara leaned in to him, squeezing her eyes tight in frustration before she opened them and leaned her head back to rest upon his chest. They stood that way for a long while, as Bill absorbed her quiet angst. After a point she gave a long, deep sigh, releasing some of the tension in her hard, taught body and gave in to the security of his embrace.

"I do not mean to sound insensitive," Bill spoke softly into her ear, "but we both know life on this planet is comprised of one turbulent moment after another, interspersed, if we are very lucky, with beautiful moments like this one—spent with someone that we love, Tara. We have that. Eric and Sookie have that. Those beautiful moments will always carry us far and away from the turbulent ones, even as we are embroiled in them—you know this. Try to calm yourself. We must press on and concentrate on what lies ahead—we are reporting for duty tomorrow. Whatever is going on we will have to trust that Eric has a handle on it. I am confident that if he needed our help he would not hesitate to ask for it."

"I hear you, Bill. I sure hope you're right."

"It seems that we have not had a moment alone since we came back from Miami. I have not even heard how things went with your mother..."

In answer to his question Tara's whole body seemed to smile as she sank even further into him and in concert with the smile that had broken through the worry on her face.

"It was beautiful, Bill. My mama loves me..."

"How could she not," he turned her to face him then. "How could she not..." and he kissed her tenderly. When he released her he spoke softly to her again. "There are a few things that we must go over tonight before we leave..."

"I know. Shoot."

Bill smiled at her proudly. "When we arrive in Minsk we will be briefed by my good friend Andrej Kuznetsov—he has been promoted to Magister of his territory—and Shashen'Ka, the dancer I told you about. My understanding is that she will be responsible for training us both in the more complex fighting techniques that will be required for our job. And about time for you, my love, for I have been sorely remiss in that obligation to you," he apologized.

"Yeah? Well, we've been kinda busy, you think?"

"True. We will have four nights with them and then we will report to Kaiserslautern, Germany."

"Where our suspect is?"

"Yes."

"Cool—I'm so in the mood to kick some serious ass."

"What?"

"I let Sookie down in New Orleans, Bill—I let myself down..."

"Stop that, Tara. You are a fledgling—there is a reason that Russell Edgington was so easily able to overpower you; age and strength is everything where we are concerned. And had I trained you at all, as I was supposed to before I left for Belarus..." he trailed off, his guilt and shame evident.

"No, Bill..."

"Then again, I trained Jessica and what good did it do her? It is my fault, I am afraid. Even I will greatly benefit from what Shashen'Ka has in store for us."

"It wasn't your fault, Bill, you're right. I keep forgetting how old he was..."

"And the fact that he had abducted two vampires before you—and had honed his skills considerably by the time he took you and Jessica. You let no one down, Tara, far from it. Never feel that way again? Promise me..."

"I promise."

"Now that all of that is out of the way, there is another plan we must put into action..."

"Oh, yeah? I wonder what in the world that could be?" Tara yielded to a kiss from him to her neck.

"I think that you know, very well," he said through a devilish grin as he turned her around and began to walk her backwards to the bed.

"Um-hmm...I caught that look you were giving me when I was behind the counter..."

"Yes, that counter where you were having so much fun with your old beau..." He raised a reprimanding eyebrow at her.

"Oh, me? How about you and Sook—your conversation looked pretty damned intimate to me..." she countered.

"Really?" he said as he kept walking.

"Yeah, really...wanna fight about it?"

Bill finally reached the edge of the bed and gave her a rough, unceremonious push. "I thought that you would never ask..."

Tara raised up onto her elbows and looked a challenge up at him then. "Bring it."


	55. Between Heaven And Hell

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 55 Between Heaven And Hell

Trey roamed northeast from the Oviatt to the dirty streets of Skid Row and noted nothing different from the dismal, poverty-stricken streets of his own home town; except that the Los Angeles was of course a larger city and its homeless population, even in the span of the few city blocks he had covered at that early point in his wanderings, was far more than what he was used to seeing. He walked past actual shelters and the makeshift shelters of every possible incarnation that far outnumbered them: polyester pop-up tents of every color, some actually appropriate for camping, others being mere play tents suitable for no one older than three years old yet housing adult men and women of every age; the ever-familiar ramshackle cardboard shanties that were now a common sight all over America; men rolled up in rugs in front of abandoned dilapidated shops; old women living out of over-loaded shopping carts, always on the move, their eyes soulless, their movements as slow and dead as reanimated zombies. And there were children, huddled under tattered blankets, if they were lucky, looking hopeless as they and their fearful mothers dared to peer up at him with fearful distrusting eyes, then dart away from him as they searched the cold night for other threats lurking in the darkness.

Forget what the crackpots said or the what those who thought that they were saner believed: Armageddon had already come for these people and many others just like them; hell on earth was a reality. Trey had never been a stupid boy but learned early in his life that it didn't suit one to be a bookworm in the ghetto. At least not openly. He had only gotten as far as tenth grade but enjoyed reading in his spare time when no one was looking, which was a rare occasion, anyway. But he had pretty much tuned out of his educational experience when he noticed a stunning repetition in his history classes—most notably that poverty had existed in every generation and every corner of the world after man became "civilized" and stopped living off the land and in harmony with nature. He could understand poverty for the tribesman or villager back in the day that resulted from one being too sick or handicapped to provide for themselves, or had no children to help tend the land—he got that. It was the grinding poverty that touched so many stemming from the greedy pursuits of a million different marauding invaders through time, landing anywhere their horses or boats dared to take them and stealing without compunction every valuable asset that they could claim as they killed or enslaved the indigenous people that they found living there that rankled him. The fact that it had been going on for periods of Earth's history that seemed impossible to even think about and that it was still going on in his own lifetime simply sickened him. Here was the evidence of man's greed right at his feet. He knew that he could go to any country and come face to face with it again. He was glad he was no longer human then, and ever amazed that he was dead yet undead and still experiencing the world at all.

He turned a corner and headed southwest and soon found himself on First Street. He took off and ran then, testing the rate of speed with which he was able to do so and within seconds found himself standing outside of Los Angeles City Hall. He laughed joyously out loud and then continued to travel west, walking briskly in his own time so that he could take in the sights. As in his own home town he knew that, being at the center of the seat of city government, courthouses were sure to be next as he traveled the deserted downtown streets. It was a midnight, after all; nothing to be seen but the ever-present police cruiser heading back to base at the new headquarters located across from City Hall or a lonely cabbie looking for a fare.

Up he went, as the street inclined, passing courthouses and empty parking structures until he found himself standing across from the Disney Concert Hall. He had seen it in enough car commercials to know what it was but was not impressed. He went a bit further until he passed several performing arts venues and stopped at Grand Avenue in front of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Such places were more than foreign to him. Only once in his life had he been in such a place and that was a performance of _The Magic Flute_ at the Hippodrome when he was in fourth grade. He had enjoyed the show immensely but could not let on to his friends. He shook his head then, remembering how he and his friends sat there in secret awe of the luxurious auditorium and the thrilling stage show, already all too caught up in the machismo of the streets at nine years old to betray themselves to one another. He went a few blocks further to Figueroa and then headed south with his vampire speed, as he zipped past highrises, eateries and through the financial district when moments later he spied the Staples Center and the Club Nokia.

There was some foot traffic in the area as a concert was letting out at the Nokia. Trey hung back at a light pole in the plaza to take in the crowd. Some of the crowd dispersed to the parking structure while select others headed to limos waiting at the curb; the rest either milled about, obviously not ready to end the night and discussing where to go next or heading very definitely on foot to the next designated spot where more fun could be found. He spied another group of people heading back north on Figueroa and followed them on a whim. They were a loud boisterous group of twelve, twenty-something men and women, dressed like all young people everywhere: the guys in baggy jeans, t-shirts and the latest overly-expensive kicks; the girls in tight jeans, skimpy tops, visible chill bumps on their uncovered arms and impossible-looking five-inch heels that looked as if just a hint of a breeze could cause them all to topple into each other like bowling ball pins. He also liked the fact that he was looking at a rainbow of ahead of him, comprised of Caucasians, Latinos, African-Americans, Asians and one obviously gay guy who seemed to be leader of the pack. He smiled to himself at their joie de vivre, finding it infectious enough to continue following them.

When they disappeared around the corner of a car wash he saw them heading towards yet another parking lot and groaned inwardly thinking that he had followed the wrong bunch. To his pleasant surprise they went to the right of the lot and through a back gate of a hotel—the Figueroa Hotel. He went down the long covered walkway just behind them and noted to his left a pool and a bar which was ambiently lit with lanterns and candles on the poolside tables and that the area was open and inhabited. His group split up once inside, some going to a bar inside as others headed for the pool. But Trey stopped in his tracks and forgot them easily as he took in the decor—it was if he had walked into another world and a little piece of Mediterranean heaven. From the beautiful mosaics on the tiled floors and wooden beams to the ceilings draped with Moroccan tapestries to the over-all beauty of Moorish architectural design throughout Trey felt as if he had been transported straight to Marrakesh. One of the very few things he remembered about his mother—and it wasn't so much a memory of her, as it was of a picture that he carried with him still—was of her tickling him as they lounged on her sumptuous bed, filled with pillows and tapestries such as he saw about him in the hotel. It had been one of the few moments of joy in his life and had actually been caught on film by one of her few girlfriends. He had been two and a half years old. He didn't know where she had developed her taste for Moroccan décor in her young life but such things had always reminded him of her as she was then, on the rare day that she hadn't been beaten black and blue and actually had a smile in her heart and some time to spend showing her baby boy some love.

Trey went straight to the Veranda bar and took a seat at one of the delicate wrought iron cafe tables that looked out directly to the lovely terrace pool and the midnight Los Angeles horizon. He had found his hangout place and the model upon which he would design a home for himself someday. At that moment what he wanted most was to be able to share his find with Nan and Sarah. He was content to sit and lose himself in the hypnotic electronica music that was playing as he continued to drink in the night and his surroundings. A young male waiter approached him then. _No time like the present_, he thought to himself as he decided to try his hand at glamouring a human for the first time.

"Hey man, how ya doin'? What can I get for you tonight?"

Trey looked him in his eyes and easily managed to hold the young man's gaze.

"You can bring me a nice glass of cognac..."

"Very good. Will that be cash or charge? Our register is closing soon and..."

"Neither...my drink will be free..."

"Your drink will be free, sir, very good. I'll be right back," he smiled and went away. He came back quickly, drink in hand and without a check slip. "Enjoy, sir."

"Yo, just a minute...this music—who is this playin'?"

"I'd have to check that, sir. It's our manager's mix..."

"Bring it to me," Trey commanded him.

"That's in his office, sir, I don't have a key..."

"Do what you have to do and _bring it to me_..."

"I'll do what I have to do and get that right to you, sir," he said, smiling from ear to ear and was off again.

Trey chuckled to himself and shook his head at his own self. "Oh, mama, if only you could have lived...lived to see this..." and he became sad suddenly. He tried to shake it off and concentrated on the rippling crystal blue water in the empty pool. After quite some time the young man finally returned.

"Here you go, sir," he said as he handed him a CD in a plain purple jewel case.

"Thanks, yo. A little something for your trouble..." Nan had given both him and Sarah a thousand dollars in cash apiece before they'd left Louisiana for pocket change. Trey handed the young man a crisp hundred dollar bill.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you so much! Can I get you anything else?"

"No man, just tell me whatever you did you covered your tracks and you still got a job tomorrow..." he said as he waved the jewel case at him.

"Oh, I did and I will. Thank you for asking, sir."

"Cool, man, I'm good. Go on, now—looks like you got some more thirsty customers over there," Trey nodded at some patrons three tables away.

"Thank you, sir, have a good night, sir," and he dashed off.

Whatever CD the young man had replaced the one in his hand with was just as on point. He sat for a long while as immobile as a statue, whispering only two words—"Look away"—to anyone who dared to approach him for the rest of the night. Somewhere around three am he began to feel quite sleepy. He checked the time in his cell phone and thought it a good time to head back home even though dawn was still three hours away.

When he arrived back at the Oviatt moments later, and with plenty of time left to kill, he headed to the penthouse terrace. He was pleasantly surprised to find that, it too, had a slightly Moorish feel as represented by the colorful tiled fountain and arabesques of wrought iron adorning the staircases and rooftops. Again he was able to take in the splendor of the Los Angeles skyline, this time in full, from the now lushly-appointed former observation deck as the city sparkled beneath him.

"Hi, Trey," came a soft forlorn voice from behind him.

He turned a saw Sarah, looking a mess in her pink and black prim Chanel suit, her face and suit jacket both streaked with blood.

"Shorty, what's wrong?"

"I couldn't stay in there with her—she kicked me out."

Trey sighed heavily. The love and allegiance he felt for Nan was something he couldn't explain and could barely express. The soft spot in his dead heart that he felt for Sarah knew no bounds. He didn't know what to do about the fact that the two women on Earth that he cared more about than his own self had such a horrible relationship with each other.

"Well, you can't stay out here all night. Come on, yo, I want to tell you about this place I found—I can't wait to take you there..." he said as he put his arm around her and headed for their floor.

To their surprise when they got to their private entrance they saw a man leaving, a male Asian vampire that Sarah recognized. His face was expressionless as he gave them a slight nod and disappeared into thin air.

"Who the hell was that?" Trey asked her when he saw the look of recognition on her face.

"You saw the Trial, didn't you? The one..."

"Yeah, I saw it," he cut her off as he shuddered inwardly just thinking about it.

"He's from the AVL...he was at Fangtasia that night—I remember him."

"Both of you, come in..." said Nan as she came to the door to usher them urgently through the grand foyer, "I don't have a lot of time..."


	56. As Your Maker

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 56 As Your Maker

"Both of you sit down," Nan commanded her progeny firmly.

The look on her face was more than foreign to Sarah as she realized that Nan was looking at them both with equal concern. Sarah and Trey sat beside each other on a dusty covered couch across from Nan who stood facing them in front of the dying embers in the fireplace.

"I have only hours to tell you what I thought I would have a year to teach you. Needless to say, this is going to be basic and quick. Sarah, I know that you recognized the vampire who left here tonight from the trial. He is an Authority liaison, but I cannot tell you his name. I can tell you that he came to notify me that the Authority has ordered a sentence of the True Death upon me," she said simply.

"No!" Trey jumped up, stunned beyond any other words.

"Listen to me, both of you—sit down, Trey." His body betrayed his will and followed her command. "There are not many on this Earth that I trust, but he and I have a long history. He has assured me that the Authority has no prejudice against either of you, especially in light of the circumstances under which you were born to eternity. For that reason and because neither of you have any part in the current charges brought against me I must release you; you will both be allowed to follow your own paths with impunity. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

Sarah looked at Trey, her mouth hanging open in complete confusion. She looked back at Nan and dared to speak; despite their volatile relationship she felt an allegiance to her Maker that she had hoped Nan would possibly respond to over time. As she realized that she would never have that opportunity she dropped all pretense and appealed to her in earnest, forgetting the protocols she had thus far followed.

"Nan, I don't understand. I thought all of the charges had been dropped in the trial...I know you don't like me, but...I need you..." she said as she shook her head in disbelief. "What has happened to make them change their minds? I need you, Nan; it's selfish, I know, but I really don't want to be here without you," Sarah said, amazed at the words coming out of her mouth and unable to stop them. "If they're going to kill you then I want to stand with you."

Trey looked at Sarah with pride and took her hand, then looked at his Maker. "Ditto, Mom."

Nan looked at her progeny and was unable to stop the blood tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes as she tried to remain stoic. "That means more to me than either of you will ever know. But I cannot allow it. These current charges have nothing to do with the trial, Sarah, and the less both of you know about that, the better."

"No, I don't care," Sarah began in near hysteria. "No! It's not fair! I want to learn the things we're supposed to know—I wanted to make you proud of me—I wanted to be more than your sentence! And I can do it, but I need you. If I can't have you here to teach me then I don't want to be here at all! I want to die with you, Nan. I can't do this alone..."

"Sarah, as your Maker I command you to calm the fuck down," Nan said sternly but with a smile on her face. Sarah found herself unable to utter another impassioned word. "I do regret that I won't be here to see the magnificent vampire that you are to become, Sarah Newlin. You will not have me but you will have each other," Nan looked at Trey then. "I have that comfort. And I would gladly sacrifice myself so that the two of you may go on. You must go on. You _have_ both proven yourselves to be more than a sentence—you are my children and you must go on. You simply must. This is not negotiable."

"Mom, there's nothing you can do?" Trey pleaded, "nothing that can be done? What the fuck do they think that they even have on you?" he asked as tears streamed down his face.

"If I told you that, even hinted at it, I would be compelled to destroy you both myself. That is not a risk we are remotely going to entertain, do you understand me? Both of you tell me that you understand."

"We understand," Trey and Sarah said in unison.

"I've had a good run. It pleases me that I'm leaving behind my legacy in the two of you. It makes me feel that it wasn't all for nothing," Nan said as she took each of them by the hand and drew them up from the couch. "Now come, I have less than three hours to tell you what you must know about yourselves and then I will release you. You must not be here when the sun rises. This a list of vampires that I count as friends and whom I trust implicitly..." she handed Sarah a small sheet of paper to look upon and share with Trey. "It's a short list, so it will be easy to remember. Stay here in Los Angeles—it's a good place for the two of you to make a start in—big cities are just better venues for us as a race, in general. Master your skills and abilities here and you'll be able to hold your own anywhere in the world. But if you ever need help of any kind get yourselves to any of the vampires on that list, is that clear?"

Trey and Sarah both glumly nodded their heads at her.

"Good. Let's get to work, shall we?"

* * *

><p>It was forty-five minutes to sunrise. Nan looked at her exhausted, sad progeny but felt confident that she had given them more than enough of the basics to ensure their success and existence without her. She'd covered everything she possibly could in such a brief time but her insurance was the list of vampire names she had given them.<p>

"There is a pit nearby at First Street and Broadway—the old California State Building used to stand there—that's where you'll go to ground this morning. Always, wherever you are, no matter what residence you take up and especially in big cities, scope out a patch of earth somewhere that you can get to easily and rest in peace undisturbed by the sun or from humans. Always," Nan directed them finally. "This is it."

Sarah rushed her Maker and gave her a hug, to which Trey immediately joined in. Nan instinctually bristled. Never in her undead existence had she hugged or been hugged by anyone, human or vampire. She put her arms around them as was customary but still felt uncomfortable. She unhanded them but they each let her go reluctantly.

"Well, that was awkward," she said when they finally let her go, "but I get it." She smiled at them both more warmly than she thought herself capable of doing. She took a step back from them both and looked at them for the last time.

"Mom," Trey whispered at her as his tears began to stream again. Sarah put her arm around him and braced herself.

"Sarah Newlin, as your Maker I release you." Nan directed her gaze next upon her sibling. "Trey Marcellus Horne, as your Maker I release you."

Both of them stood as if dumbstruck and found themselves unable to move.

"Both of you—to the pit, now! NOW!" she yelled at them frantically. No sooner had they taken off with their vampire speed than the room was besieged by AVL troops and her nemesis.

"Good girl, Nan. I knew that I could count on you to do the right thing. Well done. Are you ready, my dear?" came his amused voice from behind her. Nan turned to face him with daggers in her eyes as she stood straight and tall.

"No parting words, Miss Flanagan?"

"Just fucking do it, already," she hissed at him.

"Nan Flanagan, by the order of the Authority you have been hereby sentenced to the True Death."

"For what trumped up crime, you insufferable bastard?"

"Well, for starters," he said in all seriousness as he walked up closer to her and took her hand in his to inspect her fingernails, "do you really think that polish goes with that lip color?"

Nan only gave him a stony glare as she yanked her hand furiously away from his; the tall handsome vampire before let out a hearty bellow of laughter.

He turned and walked back towards the troops, speaking as he went, "Don't worry, my dear, we'll come up with something official and dignified for you later." He stood in the middle of twelve marksmen and turned back to face her, his hand raised in signal to the troops. His laughter had more than died; he glowered at her as twelve laser beams from twelve rifles loaded with wooden silver-tipped bullets trained themselves upon her head and chest. Octavian Valerius dropped his hand without further word as the rifles reported thunderously towards their target.

Nan Flanagan was no more.


	57. On Borrowed Time

**A/N: Thank you, FatJan! My muse comes to visit and I forget to uncheck that box...I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 57 On Borrowed Time

"Eric, tell me what's going on, please?" Sookie asked him quietly, not wanting to anger him.

She had re-entered her living room cautiously, unable to bear the suspense of knowing what had transpired between him and his sister, afraid that she might find him hurt, or even worse, gone. But he was not gone; he was standing at the front door, his hands gripping the frame as he hung his head, seeming as if he was deep in thought—or ready to rip the door from its hinges.

Eric turned to face her. "I had every intention of doing so, Sookie, but we must not talk here."

Remy had followed Sookie from the kitchen and stood in the doorway, his brow furrowed with great worry. "Look, you, whatever needs sayin' you can say to us both here for true," he said in angry frustration.

"Remy, is it?" Eric looked at him directly, taking great care to remain calm as he spoke delicately to him. "I appreciate your concern but it is best for you and yours to stay out of this. As a matter of fact..." he directed his gaze at Sookie, "they will be safer if you are not here."

"For the last time, man, what's goin' on here?" Remy demanded.

Eric grabbed Sookie by the arm as he turned his back to Remy and spoke to her, his voice quiet and threatening, "I will glamour him if he does not shut up..."

"Remy, it's alright," Sookie disengaged herself from Eric's grip and went to Remy, took his arm into hers and she led him towards the stairs. "I need you to stay here and keep everybody safe—if I'm not here that will be a lot easier to do. Eric means us no harm, Remy—we love each other and he's only trying to protect us all" she pleaded with him.

"Protect us from what, chére?" he asked her exasperatedly. Eric came upon them with his vampire speed and glared at Remy, his intent more than obvious.

"Eric! Don't! Please..." Sookie begged him. "Remy, I've got to go," she said, talking fast, "You'll all be fine as long as I'm not here. Right now just stop asking questions and please, _please,_ shield your thoughts from Hunter? I'll be back soon and fill you in then..." she assured him as Eric whisked her into her arms and disappeared with her.

Within minutes they were in what Sookie thought was a cave.

"Where are we, Eric?" She asked as she tried to catch her breath; traveling at such a speed with him always knocked a little wind out of her. Eric set her down on the ground and took her hand into his own.

"This is an abandoned mine—it's where I go to ground."

"You don't sleep at Fangtasia?"

"No, I never have. This is far safer for me. Follow me..." he led her through the dark shaft easily as he held her hand, knowing that her eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness. "There...sit..." he directed her after he took a tarp off of an old armchair. "I can't keep you in here for long, but this is the only truly private place that we can talk.

"Nora is a double agent within the AVL; she's the reason Bill and I weren't ordered to the True Death over Russell Edgington. She is now the consort of the new king of Louisiana—Octavian Valerius, and he's even older than Russell. She came to warn me—Valerius wants my head on a platter and he expects her to deliver it to him. There are factions within factions in the AVL, Sookie; there's a major one that doesn't give a damn about the VRA—they want things as they used to be before we came out of the coffin, when we could eat and kill whoever we wished to."

"I don't understand—she's his consort and still in the AVL?"

"No, she resigned with their blessing. She's still very much connected, of course, but her allegiance is to Valerius and his cause. Her position within the AVL is what drew him to her—a purely political move."

"Okay, that just sounds like one of those loveless arranged marriages. But if she saved you before as an AVL member how does he expect that she won't try to do so now?"

"Yes, the issue of trust...he may not trust her completely but he expects her to carry out his will because that is what she has been doing for the majority of her career within he AVL, Sookie. The trial was a set-up; a ruse to appease his constituents and show that he intends to infuse AVL politics with new blood—younger blood. The younger vampires feel short-changed by the proposed vampire rights amendment; they feel they are in essence being punished for what they are and the idea of assimilation with humans greatly insults them. Older vampires embrace the VRA easily because they have existed long years—they do not have the same appetite or need for blood and can go without it for periods of time that would starve a younger vampire to death.

"The young ones reject the implementation of Tru Blood and resent Ancients for making the decision that we should all want to abide by drinking it as our only sustenance just to appease humans. This is the basic conflict. The younger vampires have now made the case that Ancients like Godric and Russell Edgington represent the worst case scenario of the aged vampire; they feel that not only should they not be in positions of power but that they should be destroyed, as well; they contend that, even as vampires, we live in harmony with nature and forcing a blood substitute upon us goes very much against our nature. He is appealing to them as the only Ancient that understands them; assuring them that he feels as they do; killing anyone—human, vampire, and especially Ancients—who stands in the way of his endeavor for vampires to be what they really are and without the consequences of human interference."

"Killing people is in harmony with nature? Really?" she asked him indignantly.

"Sookie, we are like any other predator on Earth—we kill to survive. Period. Which s why we take being Makers very seriously—contrary to what humans think and fear most about us, it would be neither fun nor practical to over-populate the world with vampires; and new vampires are to be made with great care and consideration. Even though we are immortal, nature can still reclaim us—we can die. Either at the hands of others or of our own will to stop existing. Nothing is truly forever. Nor should it be."

"You say that, Eric, but look how old you are—over a thousand years! Godric—two thousand years! Russell Edgington, almost three—now you say this Valerius guy is even older than him! That kind of sounds like forever, to me."

"Pin-pricks in the fabric of time, Sookie. Show me a vampire that can relate first-hand the story of Earth's creation and then we can talk about forever."

Sookie stood up and began to pace the cramped, dark space between her and Eric, trying to take it all in.

"So, why does he want to kill you, Eric? I still don't get it..."

"Because of Nan Flanagan. She was instrumental in getting the VRA off the ground from its inception and over the years I have worked closely with and for her."

"What do you mean 'was'?"

"As we speak, Sookie, Nan is existing on borrowed time—she is to be executed before dawn," he said simply.

"Wait a minute, you've got to be...no..."

"Yes. Nora told me that Valerius is going to Los Angeles tonight to personally render the True Death upon her."

"Oh my God...what about Bill? He helped her, too," Sookie felt knots forming in her gut. "And that means Tara is in danger, as well..."

"They do not know it yet, but the mission they've been sent on could help us all, Sookie. Valerius wants to make his point painfully clear to his constituents right now that he means business, starting first with the death of Nan Flanagan. Then me. You were there—I was the one who let Russell go and he knows the real reason why. Not only that, but the AVL was aware that I wanted to make you vampire. Had I done so I would have unknowingly played right into his hands—no one has ever turned a fairy into a vampire before—he would have had me executed immediately. But your being true to yourself granted me a temporary reprieve."

"Eric, I'm about to lose you and you make it all sound like...like...there's no hope," tears started to form at the corners of her eyes.

"All is not lost, Sookie, you must believe me."

"But Nora? Can you really trust her?"

"Had it been her true desire I would be dead now, Sookie."

"I don't now, Eric, wouldn't the king know that, as well? It seems to me like you're both playing an awfully dangerous game with this Valerius prick..." she said worriedly. Eric had to smile. He took Sookie into his arms and held her tightly.

"It is a dangerous game, Sookie. But one that I intend to win."

"You said that Bill and Tara can help—is that how you intend to win? How?"

"That is where you come in as well, my _liten krigare_..." he began softly. "You will need to sit back down for this," he said as he sat her back on the armchair and knelt before her. "When you came back from Faery a contingent of your Fae brethren escaped back to Earth through the portal. We don't know why yet. That's what Bill and Tara are going to investigate. Have any of them been in contact with you, Sookie?"

"No, only Claudine, but you ate her..." she answered him exasperatedly. Eric hung his head and managed to suppress a laugh.

"I am sorry about that, I truly am," Eric lost himself momentarily in the memory of the taste of Claudine's blood and his drunken escapade that followed thereafter. He managed not to laugh out loud but found it impossible to suppress an amused smirk upon his face.

"Nothing about any of this is funny, Eric Northman."

"No, it is not, you are right," he said as he composed himself. "Did you ever meet her brother, Claude?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he was the one who helped me escape."

"I have a report that he's here, Sookie. And he and Octavian Valerius have a history with one another—we just don't have any details on what that history is...yet."

"Let me guess—Bill and Tara will be looking in to that?"

"Yes."

"Sweet Jesus...well, after what happened to Claudine you certainly don't expect him to come knocking on _my_ door, do you?"

"No, I don't, but that doesn't mean that it could not happen. Besides, he might come looking for someone other than you..."

"Hunter..."

"Yes."

"What are we supposed to _do_, Eric? What am I supposed to do?" asked Sookie, feeling completely helpless.

"For the moment? Just wait. And go on with your day-to-day life as if you know nothing. As a matter of fact, we are going to have a very public argument about you not knowing what's going on with me and what Nora wanted. But you must know that to pull that off I will have to glamour Remy—he was a witness and you assured him that you would inform him of what you could when you got back. I must wipe that whole episode out of his mind if this is to work," he told her gently.

Sookie let out a heavy sigh. "I understand." A dreadful thought came to her then. "What if he talked to Hadley? Or if Hunter read him? Shit, shit, shit!"

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it..." he said apologetically.

"What about Valerius? He'll be coming for you..."

"I know how Octavian Valerius operates, Sookie, very well; he will bask in his own greatness for at least two days before he impresses his fan base with another glorious maneuver—it buys me a little time."

"Wow, two whole days..." Sookie lamented sarcastically.

"It sounds impossible, I know, but try not to worry—a plan is in effect. We must leave here now."


	58. The Call Of The Hired

_**A/N: I don't own "Damage" by Fit For Rivals" or "Free Love" by Depeche Mode.**_

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 58 The Call Of The Hired

It was early Saturday morning and they were assembled in the private drawing room where Bill had spent the last hour entertaining them all playing a game of "Stump the Piano Player". Tara declined to play, sure that Bill was unbeatable; it turned into a challenge then between Jessica and Blackburn to try and take him down. After their best efforts using songs both modern and obscure and having no luck, Jessica thought she was going to get him with "Damage" by Fit For Rivals; to her delight and everyone else's Bill not only knew it, but rocked it out. Finally, after their raucous applause died down, Blackburn got him with "Free Love" by Depeche Mode.

"Dude, you really don't know that one?" said Blackburn as he rose from the couch where he sat beside Jessica and came to move him off the piano bench. Bill joined his two special ladies on the couch, all of them surprised to see him take his place comfortably at the piano. Immediately they heard the lovely strains of his haunting version of the song as he looked at Jessica and began to serenade her.

As Jessica listened to the lyrics her hands shot to her mouth as she gasped, touched beyond words and feeling like the most special woman in the world. Drawn by his soothing tenor she was up on her feet and approaching the piano in a swoon. She looked back at Bill and Tara and gave a silent scream of delight then turned and rested herself against the piano. When Blackburn finished he rose and gave her a tender kiss.

"I think this is serious, Pop..." said Tara to Bill softly.

"So it would appear."

It was time then for his and Tara's departure for their Anubis Air flight to Belarus. When Blackburn and Jessica parted Bill rose from the couch and motioned the pair away from the piano.

"Alright, Jessica, behave yourself," Bill said after he gave her a final kiss to the top of her head. He turned to Blackburn then and held out his hand. Blackburn took it and the two vampires shook hands. "Both of you," Bill cocked his head to one side and shot Blackburn an extra special glance as he raised an eyebrow at him.

"We will, King...I mean, Bill."

"Are you trying to win me over with flattery, Blackburn?" Bill asked him through a facetious smile.

"It truly is an adjustment, Bill—it's only been a couple of weeks and I still think of you as my King. I don't mean to appear insincere, not at all," Blackburn said sounding as awkward as he looked.

"Well then, I am flattered and thank you for that. Just watch out for our girl here, that is all that I require of you now."

"You have my word on that, Bill," Blackburn assured him.

All of a sudden Bill was very sorry for them all, existing under the constraints of an edict that was so very against their natures. Especially his lovely Jessica. In light of her particular dilemma she should have been free to take her pleasure in the blood and enjoy in full the bond that was strengthening between her and Blackburn. His dead heart went out to them both.

"I know you tire of hearing me say it, but both of you—Please. Be. Careful."

Blackburn understood him fully. He reached out his hand and placed it on Bill's shoulder, the look in the eyes of both men confirming that they were more than unified in their love and concern for Jessica. They nodded to each other.

Tara looked at Jessica who was almost near tears as she witnessed the two men she loved most in the world expressing their intense, yet silent love for her to each other. "Come here, you," said Tara as she pulled Jessica into her strong embrace. "You're a very lucky vampire, girlfriend," she whispered to her. Jessica was so overwhelmed that all she could do was nod. "I feel, ya...c'mon, we gotta get out of here."

"Alright, alright," Jessica sniffled as she broke away reluctantly. "I'm sure I need to get used to this...you two be careful, as well, and call me as soon as you get settled."

"We will," said Tara as she gave her a final kiss to her cheek. "Goodbye, Blackburn...thanks for seeing us off."

"No thanks needed," he said as he put his arm around Jessica.

Bill took Tara's hand, nodded a final goodbye at them both and then disappeared with her.

"Well, kid—it's just you and me..." said Blackburn as he turned to Jessica and hugged her tighter against himself. "Almost time to go to ground."

"Yep." Jessica could not hide the worry in her soul that caused the frown upon her face.

"They'll be alright."

"Maybe I should get myself some kind of job. I can't stand being left alone so much."

"Yeah?" Blackburn took her chin in hand and tilted her face to look directly in her eyes.

"Yeah."

"Come work for me," he suggested seriously.

"What? You're a Sheriff...what could I even remotely be qualified to do for you?"

"I need an assistant that I can trust—the Authority still hasn't given us our new territory assignments; I still manage my own territory but I've been helping Kirsch and Duprez unofficially with Dallas and Shreveport. They have staff—I don't. You would be a great help to me, especially in Dallas."

"Do you think Bill would let me?"

"Why wouldn't he? He seems to value your happiness and well-being greatly," He smiled at her.

"But am I qualified to..."

"You need something to do—I have something for you to do—you're qualified."

"But what would I be doing?"

"Isabel's nest needs attention, for one thing—all of the members dispersed and they need to be found and told that it's safe for them to come back; the property needs to be managed until a new Sheriff is officially appointed, in which case he or she may wish to use it—if they don't then the property may need to be sold, especially if none of the members wish to buy it; the list goes on. It would be a tremendous help to me, Duprez and Kirsch and free us all up to handle other enforcement issues; it would be great training for you, as well. It's win-win all around. I know he's been pretty busy, but Bill doesn't strike me as the type that just wants you here to dust and clean—you have a small staff here already for all of that trivial stuff. I'm sure if you suggest it he'll be more than agreeable. I guess I should be asking you if you would actually like to, shouldn't I? I believe I'm a touch guilty of cart before the horse..."

"No, I could do those things—I would love to. I'll ask him when they get to Belarus! Oh my God! Me with a real job!" she said excitedly.

"Yes, you with a real job...traveling a bit, learning the ropes and working with me."

"And when the Authority assigns a new Sheriff—then what?"

"You come work for me in my territory full-time. You in?"

"I'm in."

"Cool, baby. Let's turn in, huh?"

"Yep, it is that time..."

Blackburn swooped her up into his arms and carried Jessica to her cubby.


	59. Glamour

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 59 Glamour

When Eric and Sookie returned to her house Remy was up and waiting in the living room.

"Remy, you've been here all night?" asked Sookie as she rushed to sit next to him on the couch.

"Damn straight, chére." He could see the concern on her face. "Don't worry, I told Hadley I couldn't sleep. She don't know nothin' 'bout what happened down here before." He glared at Eric.

Sookie looked uneasily at Eric as well, knowing what was coming.

"So, Sook, spit out already...what the hell is going on?" Remy looked at Eric again, a hint of anger in his eyes.

Eric approached the couch slowly holding Remy's gaze hypnotically. He moved Sookie out of the way and took her place next to the mesmerized Cajun.

"There is nothing to know, Remy..."

"No?"

"No. Nothing out of the ordinary happened at all. You had a wonderful night here with your family and Arlene's kids..."

"We sure had a nice time tonight with Coby and Lisa..." Remy said through a smile then.

"Sookie was here all night and you are very tired now..."

"I am tired...I think I'll go on up to bed now..."

"You never saw me tonight..." and with that Eric disappeared.

"Sook, I'm goin' on up to bed. You been waitin' on your vampire all night? A no-show again, chére?" Remy said as he rose to go.

"I guess he was busy. I haven't heard from him all night." Sookie tried to keep it simple.

"Well, that's just rude, if you ask me. But you ain't asking me...goodnight, chére. Try to get some sleep, huh?"

"I will, Remy, thanks."

When Remy was finally gone Sookie leaned back on the couch, exhausted, and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

* * *

><p>Sarah and Trey rose from the pit at Broadway and First at sundown on Saturday, both of them hungry and anxious.<p>

"So, what?" asked Trey as he tried to wipe himself clean.

"I don't know. I damn sure want to eat someone," Sarah said as she busied herself doing the same. "I mean, I would settle for Tru Blood right now, but I'm not going back to the Oviatt. Not yet, anyway."

"Plenty of food on skid row, shorty. And I found somewhere we can go...regroup...try to get our shit together."

"Good. And we need to find somewhere else to go to ground..." she pointed to the small pond that was forming in the southeast corner of the pit.

"That ain't no thang...Nan said we could go to ground under water, remember? I'll take that over bein' in a swamp somewhere with gators or crocs, yo—even if you can feed off of 'em. That's some foul shit. Not me."

"Well, I guess you have a point there. Good thing there's no swamps out here," she smiled at him.

"You know what I mean."

"I know. I would still like to find somewhere else..."

"Come on, dinner first...and I passed by a place—cool leathers, baby girl—especially the jackets. You could stand a makeover," he smiled at her as he nodded his head dramatically.

"Trey! Don't be rude."

"I'm not bein' rude. It's a sad night but this is a new beginning, Sarah," he said seriously. He had never uttered her given name before. "We can be whatever what we want. I don't know what that _is_ yet..."

"I don't, either."

"Let's give this place a week, time for whoever came after Nan to clear out; we'll go back and see if there's anything we can find out. Then we should hit up one of those names on the list," he suggested.

"That sounds like a plan. Dinner?"

"Dinner."

* * *

><p>After they'd fed Sarah and Trey stopped in the store that he had mentioned, a specialty shop that sold one-of-a-kind leathers to the tune of eighteen hundred and more a pop, and glamoured their selections right out of the shop girl.<p>

"Damn, that was too easy," Sarah exclaimed excitedly as they walked out. "And fun."

"We need some clean clothes now. There's a gang of shops just up and over a block—gonna have to do for now, yo. Come on," he told her as he led the way.

Finally he was back at the Figueroa Hotel with her. They stole into an empty room, each serving as lookout while the other showered and changed. Trey, ever the gentleman, let Sarah go first. She emerged refreshed and sporting her new clothes to Trey's applause.

"Nice, shorty! Ladies and gentleman," he said as he picked up the television remote and used it as a microphone, "we have on the catwalk...Sarah!" he announced to an imaginary audience. Sarah took the cue and began to prance. "Sarah is wearing, like, some super cheap pants from a store we broke in to tonight on Fourth Street...a lovely pair of hip-hugging skinny jeans that fit her fine, phat ass just right for all of seventeen ninety-nine...paired with a lovely red handkerchief blouse—all the rage with hood-rats across the nation—eight ninety-nine! The shoes are Harley-Davidson sandals, yo, with a peep toe and buckles an' shit and a sexy four-inch cone heel—go, shorty!" he said as she stopped and posed for him. "And our lady finishes off her outfit with a fine lambskin jacket I can't even begin to describe, glamoured direct from a cute little shop girl for the low, low price of two thousand, five-hundred and ninety-five dollars! Let's hear it for our lovely Sarah!"

They were both laughing by then, giddy from being somewhere safe for the moment.

"Oh my God, you are too funny. Stop already or I'm gonna stain my new clothes," she said as she wiped the blood tears delicately from the corners of her eyes. "This place..." she gasped as she got herself together and looked around, really taking in the beauty of the room, "This place is fantastic! How did you ever find it?" She went to the sumptuous bed and let herself free fall backwards upon it.

Trey sobered up quickly, then. "I followed some humans here. I wanted to share this place with you and Nan..." he trailed off sadly.

Sarah rose to go to him with her vampire speed and hugged him to her. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry. We're going to get through this. We have each other now and forever. Get yourself cleaned up so you can show me the rest of this place, okay?"

"Yeah," he said as broke away from her embrace. "Yeah."


	60. In Deep

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 60 In Deep

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"It has to."

"I really hate the idea of deceiving everybody...they'll all be so worried and I won't be able to say anything..."

"It is necessary and you know it. Just be at your shrill and annoying best, Miss Stackhouse," he smirked at her.

"Eric, that's just rude..." Sookie scolded him, her tone indignant.

"It's funny, admit it," he teased her in a voice low, seductive and full of amusement.

Sookie rolled over on her other side, out of his embrace and away from him in a huff.

"This is no way to spend our last night together," he said as he put his leg across her hip and pulled her easily back in to him.

"You're right. I thought I was going to be able to make love with you but you have completely spoiled the mood," she informed him angrily as she tried in vain to escape his embrace.

"You know better—stop that," he ordered her. Sookie gave up and lay still, intent on staring at the wall from her side of the bed instead of turning to face him. "I told you before I am quite happy to just be with you. There is no rush..."

She turned to face him then, her frustration and upset written all over her face and a single tear streaming down her cheek.

"Of course there's a rush, Eric. I don't know how you can be so calm about all of this...Valerius..."

"Is not going to triumph over me, Sookie. Not. That is a promise," he reassured her vehemently. "And I need you to believe in that promise, do you understand me?"

She nodded her head.

"Say it."

"I believe your promise to me, Eric," she said dutifully.

"Mean it," he warned her.

"I believe your promise to me, Eric," she said in a near whisper as she struggled to smile through another tear.

"That's better. You must relax yourself, Sookie. When the time is right for you we will make love again. I am more than happy to wait for that night and I will be here and ready when you are. It is imperative that you keep going to your meetings. When is your next one?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Good. Tomorrow evening we will have our little tete-a-tete at Merlotte's. Are you clear on everything?"

"Yes."

"You understand that, for your protection, Bill and Tara will not be in touch with you?"

"Yes."

"And that you must not say anything to Ginger or Chow?"

"Yes, I know. What I don't know is how in the world I'm going to get through this not knowing how you are. When will I hear from you again?"

"When Valerius is dead," he said simply.

"Eric..."

"It must be this way, Sookie. You won't know where I am, and they'll never be able to cull any other information from you, so you will be fine."

"Why don't I truly believe that, Eric?"

"He doesn't want you, he wants me."

"But what if..."

"Nora will protect you, Sookie, you must trust me on that."

"I have no problem trusting you, Eric—and I mean no disrespect—but I just don't trust her as, not far as I can throw her."

"Your distrust will serve you well with her under these circumstances. It is more than a talent with her Sookie, her ability to be totally disarming; she is deceitful, an expert liar—she is not a double agent for nothing. Even though he has only recently taken her as his consort they have been aligned at least a century and a half; whatever their relationship is or isn't, Valerius depends on her, greatly—she is the chink in his armor...we all have one." Eric looked her pointedly in her eyes with one eyebrow raised, a sly smile on his face. "Now, come here..."

Sookie snuggled closer to him then and settled into his strong waiting embrace, holding on as if for dear life itself and stayed awake with him until dawn.

* * *

><p>Holly Cleary held her group meetings for the Survivors of Rape three times a week: on Monday and Tuesday mornings at ten am; and Saturday evenings at five pm. Some, like Evelyn Camp, came to every meeting; others came as their work schedules permitted. Sookie and Jason had gone to their first meeting on a Tuesday but Jason had switched his day to Saturday and Sookie changed her day to Monday. She found that the sustenance and fellowship she enjoyed helped to carry her through the week and made her feel refreshed and hopeful.<p>

She didn't really need much sleep and just took herself a two hour nap after Eric left her. She got herself showered and dressed and had herself a light, quick breakfast of toast, grits, sausage and orange juice. She had the house all to her lonesome; Remy was back to work at the docks for the week and had left her a loving note on the refrigerator; Hadley was already up and gone to take Hunter to school and look for a job. By nine-fifteen Sookie had her breakfast dishes washed up and was heading out of her door. Even though she was looking forward to her meeting her mind was flooded with worry and she found it hard to concentrate on much of anything beside what she and Eric had planned to do later that evening.

* * *

><p>Across town Andy Bellefleur was conducting a meeting of his own.<p>

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this meeting of the Bon Temps group of Alcoholics Anonymous. My name is Andy Bellefleur and I am an alcoholic and your Secretary. We're going to open the meeting as we always do with a moment of silence to do with as you wish followed by the Serenity Prayer..."

Andy had fallen into an easy, relaxed manner and felt none of the discomfort he had before standing up in front of strangers and fellow alcoholics. The feeling he had gotten that came with the tackling his drinking demon dead on and mentoring other souls in torment made him feel more gratified than anything he had ever accomplished with the Bon Temps Police Department.

After the group recited the prayer, Andy invited newcomers to stand and introduce themselves. A young woman stood up immediately, dressed in what looked like fresh pickings from a Goodwill collection box.

"Hello, my name is Maurella. I'm not safe and I need help." She looked directly in Andy's eyes.

"Hello, Maurella," the group welcomed her. Andy took a good look at her and then recognized who she was as fine beads of sweat broke out above his brow.


	61. Old Friends And New

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 61 Old Friends And New

Shortly after eight pm on Sunday evening Jessica's cell phone rang and she answered immediately.

"Hello, Jessica..."

"Bill! You're in? Safe and sound?"

"Yes, we are at Tabah Tosti catching up with Andrej and Shashen'Ka before we go to ground."

"Where?"

"Shashen'Ka's club. All is well?"

"Oh. Yes, everything here is good..."

"Alright then. I will not be calling everyday, but when I do it will always be at sunset."

"Okay."

"Alright then, it is goodbye for now."

"Wait, Bill? I have a real quick question for you, do you have a minute?"

"Of course...what is it?"

Uh, I'm gonna make it quick, but please say yes?"

"I have time for you always, my Jessica—whatever it is sounds urgent..."

"Well, Blackburn offered me a job. He needs help managing Isabel's nest in Dallas and he said it would help free him up to do more enforcement work, as well as DuPrez and Kirsch," she said, talking fast, "and he says that he knows I would be great at it but that of course I had to ask you first. I'd really like to take it, Bill; I need something to do and he needs the help, like seriously and I know you're extremely busy but could you just think about it and let me know when you have another moment? Please? I mean..."

"Jessica?" Bill interrupted her finally.

"Yes?"

"That sounds like a fantastic opportunity for you and I approve. Congratulations to you—I know you that you will be a success," she could hear the pride in his voice.

"Really? Oh, thank you so much! You are the best Maker that has ever been!" she squealed with delight.

"And I love you, as well. I am very proud of you, Jessica. Please thank Blackburn for me until I can do so myself."

"I will and thank you so much, again and again and again. Okay, I won't hold you any longer. Please give Tara my love and know that you're both in my thoughts, always."

"As are you, love. Until next time."

"Bye!"

Jessica called Blackburn immediately.

"Just the woman I wanted to hear from," came his voice over the phone before she even said a word.

"He said yes!" she informed him excitedly.

"I knew that he would. Fantastic. I'm on my way for you now—we'll go to Dallas this very evening—there is much to do and I'm anxious to get you started. See you soon."

"Wow, okay, I'll be ready." They rang off. Jessica went to the kitchen and informed the maid that she would be leaving for a while.

"Good evening, Miss Jessica," the grandmotherly woman greeted her when she entered the kitchen.

"Hi, Mrs. Gustav. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be leaving tonight—I have a job now and I'll probably be back at the end of the week."

"Well, congratulations to you Miss, I'm very happy for you."

"You won't really need to come everyday now. We're still going to pay you for the full week, but how about you just come on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for the next month?"

"Why, thank you, Miss Jessica, but I really can come everyday," she protested sweetly.

"But no one is here...take a little break, Mrs. Gustav, I insist."

"Well, alright, if you insist."

"I do," Jessica smiled at her. She went to the fridge then and did what she hated most: she grabbed a bottle of Tru Blood.

"Oh, Miss Jessica, I just warmed a bottle of A Negative for you..." Mrs. Gustav made to stop her.

"Oh that's sweet of you," Jessica said awkwardly, trying hard to hold her tongue. She put the cold bottle back and took the warm bottle from her. She smiled her thanks and left the room.

Truth be told, all of the crap was abominable and Jessica found that cold Tru Blood was just barely more tolerable than warm but she didn't want to hurt Mrs. Gustav's feelings. She downed it as quickly as she could. She had promised Bill and Tara that she would be careful and that meant drinking the awful stuff. She went to change her clothes then and waited for Blackburn.

* * *

><p>When Bill and Tara had arrived in Minsk they were met by Andrej Kuznetsov who whisked them immediately away to Tabah Tosti, where they would begin their training with Shashen'Ka in the evening. Their coffins were loaded into a transport van and escorted by motorcade, a smaller one this time, directly to Shashen'Ka's underground lair at the club, and then appointed in their cubby. When they emerged from their coffins they greeted each other with a long, sensuous kiss and then took in their surroundings.<p>

"Wow, I like it..." said Tara as she stretched and looked around the vast room appreciatively. It was a no-frills, no-nonsense kind of space, the walls and floors both composed of clinker bricks of deep flash-burned purple; from the twenty-foot steel-beamed ceiling hung wrought iron wagon wheel chandeliers—the most ornate things in the entire room. Against one wall was a simple platform bed, its base made of pure obsidian, the mattress adorned with slate blue satin sheets and pillows; a work bench and a metal folding chair in a corner served as a desk and on the opposite wall from the bed was an old world stone fireplace, already ablaze, with an electric wood elevator stored to capacity with extra logs. Stone steps led up to a wooden double-door. She went to the bath and found that it was a simple open shower stall and an alabaster vessel sink on a pedestal.

While Tara looked around Bill called Jessica. He spoke to her briefly and rang off.

"How is she?" asked Tara when she came out of the bath.

"She has a job—Blackburn has hired her to oversee Isabel's nest."

"That's great! Good for her."

Bill went to the desk then and found a note from Shashen'Ka.

_Welcome back, my friend! I hope that you find your accommodations suitable. Please meet me in my office in twenty minutes—up the steps and down the corridor to your right. Refreshments are waiting. S _

"She has refreshments waiting for us in her office, Tara," Bill walked over to her and showed her the note.

"Let's get going then," she said with a smile as she took his hand and led the way to the stairs.

* * *

><p>When Tara and Bill arrived at the door to Shashen'Ka's office the door flew open as if on its own. Upon entering Bill recognized Victor standing behind it and shook the vampire's outstretched hand.<p>

"Good to see you again, comrade."

"And you as well, Victor."

They were then greeted by Shashen'Ka and Andrej, who both hugged Bill warmly.

"And so this is Tara," said Shasken'Ka with a lovely smile and a hug for her as well. "You don't know how much it pleases me to meet you, Tara."

"I'm honored to meet you, Shashen'Ka. Thank you so much for you kind hospitality."

"You are most welcomed."

"Hello, Tara, I've been looking forward to this night," said Andrej with a knowing smile. "I'm not ashamed to tell you that, although Bill was magnificent during his campaign here, he was also a bit of a wreck—the driving force was his mission to get back to you. I'm so happy that mission was accomplished."

"Thank you, Andrej, so am I."

"Are you hungry? We have donors and Tru Blood—what would you like?" Shashen'Ka asked them both.

"I believe that time constraints dictate Tru Blood to be the wise choice, Shashen'Ka, thank you," said Bill with a smile.

"Certainly," she said as she went behind her desk and wheeled a cart out to them that held snifters of freshly warmed Tru Blood. "I hope you don't mind Type O."

"Not at all, thank you," said Tara as she took her glass.

"Thank you, Shashen'Ka," said Bill.

"Please have a seat. I know that we don't have much time so I will be as brief as possible. Please direct your attention momentarily to the video on the screen there," she said as she pointed to the flat screen behind her. "It is just a punctuation to what I must tell you tonight so please listen closely to me now."

Tara and Bill took their seats in front of her desk beside Andrej and Victor and listened with rapt attention.

"Fighting is just dancing with weapons, whether that weapon is a tangible tool or your own body; when it is a dance it's called choreography—when it's war it's called a strategy. It's all the same thing to me. As vampires our preternatural abilities include great strength, speed and agility, but in our day-to-day existence we employ little to no finesse. There are many ways to vanquish an opponent and the most successful campaign is one where you spend the least amount of resistive force possible—a strategy—wear them down and then come in for an effortless kill.

"A good case in point: I heard about Julian Cromwell's brilliant dispatch of Isabel Beaumont. Here was a vampire, only a little over a hundred years older than himself, but more powerful than him, nonetheless. His dilemma: subdue her, but not to the extent of risking his life; bind her, but not to the extent of killing her, either—she had a date with the Authority. So what does he do? He can fly, so he distracts her, catches her off guard and scoops her up to the heavens—and drops her on top of her own concrete roof. All of her bones are shattered, but she will eventually heal; not only is she totally immobile but dawn is less than an hour away. He has her removed and silvered and we know the rest. But quick thinking and a definite strategy is what saved him and allowed him to carry out his mission. A lesson in physical economy that produced the maximum result.

"I was born in very turbulent time for my people during a violent Muslim pogrom against Jews in Cordoba in 1011. My Gypsy mother and father were both fighters. My father died not long after I was born and it was my mother who trained me to dance _and_ to fight; for all of my human life and my existence thereafter the two have always gone hand in hand. Like myself, these ancient vampires come from times when war was a never-changing condition of life—they were great strategists, great warriors; generals, kings and queens of formidable power when they were human, a league of destruction as Immortals. They think that they have the younger vampires figured out, and for the most part, they do. They know that all young vampires concentrate on in the twenty-first century is stake or be staked; silver-tipped wooden bullets and the guns that shoot them—that is the weapon of choice for the modern vampire.

"They only thing young vampires have come to understand about eliminating Ancients is that the element of surprise is key. But it is not enough. We will be dealing with vampires three, even four times my age and that of our fair Andrej, here. One could quite easily miss the mark of opportunity and an Ancient could take you out with almost just the thought—and that is not a myth, my friends...there are a select few who are actually telekinetic. Quick thinking...finesse...physical economy—a definite strategy—this is the only way that you can even begin to deal with the Ancients. They won't be expecting such a strategy.

"Octavian Valerius is playing a very dangerous game but he knows the playing field well." Shashen'Ka handed them both a copy of his file across her desk. "It is my job to acquaint you both with that field. My Maker introduced me to other world philosophies and many other modes of fighting. My favorite form is Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do—that's what you see me practicing with Victor in the video there. Go over that file tomorrow evening and then meet me here at ten pm. Our training will begin then. Welcome, again, to my home and good morning to you, both."


	62. Education

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 62 Education

"Damn, Bill...Octavian Valerius is as old as dirt and from hell...are you readin' this shit?"

Bill and Tara were in their cubby, seated upon their bed which was littered with pages from the files given to them by Shashen'Ka.

"I am..." Bill answered Tara with an amused smirk even though he kept his eyes on the dossier in his hand.

"_Born during the Bronze Age in Mesopotamia; the Third Dynasty of Ur—an Amorite prince, a son of Ur-Namma; Sumerian cylinder seals only show his nickname: Ša Kakkē, "the man of weapons"...made vampire in 1963 BCE during his brother's reign..._" she read aloud_. _"Then nothing on him until until 48 BCE when he resurfaces in Rome as Octavian Valerius, as a member of the alliance of the Second Triumvirate; _believed to have had direct influence regarding the campaign to assassinate Julius Caesar..._good Lord," she said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"He leaves Rome in 410 AD, just before the Visigoths sack Rome", Bill continued where Tara left off, "...nothing on record until 1093 AD where..._Empress Eupraxia-Adelheid, wife of King Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, suffers bouts of hysteria, accusing her husband of forcing her to participate in orgies and repeated attempts to perform the black mass over her naked body in collusion with a demon, whom she described then to Matilda of Tuscany as: 'a fallen son of God, most assuredly; whose countenance was both terrifying and exquisite. My liege he held in rapturous sway whilst he had his way with me again and again; then the ceremony of the blood upon us both he did perform, until my body, ravaged and weak, allowed my soul brief respite in the arms of Somnus.'_"

"Okay, what the hell is all of that about?" Tara asked, completely confused.

"Matilda of Tuscany was an enemy of King Henry as was the Pope, Urban II; it was the Pope who assisted King Henry's son, Conrad, in a rebellion against his father, thus usurping him. It is not apparent in the documentation if Valerius was involved in this affair for personal entertainment or gain."

"Damn."

"Now we're in Europe, 1333 AD," Bill read on, "...where he enjoys himself immensely during the Plague..."

"Nothing until the Renaissance...what is he doing during all of these gaps?" Tara asked Bill.

"Most likely sleeping, during some of them, until something peaks his interest enough to join the world again...for a vampire of his age it is a wise practice."

"Now he's an artist, living in Florence—wow, pretty tame," Tara mused as she devoured yet another page. Against all possibility Bill turned whiter shade paler, which Tara noticed as his jaw dropped suddenly. He gave her a look then clenched his jaw shut tightly.

"What? What is it, Bill?" she asked, alarmed.

"Read it," he said simply.

"_April,_ _1402. Settignano, Florence Italy. Valerius has appointed himself in a luxurious villa where he spends all of his nights painting his three muses: Claudine, Claudette and Claude, siblings of undetermined age and breathtaking beauty. Of the three, Claude appears to be his favorite. Residents of the frazione report 'bright lights at play like spirits afire' coming from the windows during most __evenings purporting that candle flame is most definitely not the culprit or cause. While Signore Valerius only visits the day on rare occasions, the three siblings can be seen attending to the villa and commanding a small staff...' _Well, this would all be pretty boring, except for the funny lights—and the 'visiting the day' stuff..." Tara looked at him with a confused frown. "I don't understand..."

"Keep reading..."

"S_eptember, 1402. Settignano, Florence, Italy. A disturbance is reported by the residents of the borgo and the police chief is summoned. The residents report strange lights, noises and what further sounds like sword battle coming from Signore Valerius' villa. A contingent of dark clad, robed men appear before them all, the three muses of Valerius manacled and weeping copiously.' _That's it? What happened?"

Bill handed her the addendum to the page. It was a handwritten account in Valerius' own hand, but in Latin.

"Can you read it? Bill, what the fuck?"

"No, I cannot, but I do not have to—every vampire on the planet has heard of this account as a myth. It was the myth that so intrigued my former queen, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, that she dispatched me to find Sookie after Hadley accidentally mentioned Sookie's powers to her.

"The three siblings were fairies, Tara, like Sookie. As a matter of fact, Claudine was her godmother. In those times, and before, fairies were greatly desired by vampires for their especially delicious blood—which is intoxicating, like alcohol. Even more appealing is the very temporary immunity it causes to the effect of the sun. That is why Russell Edgington abducted Sookie, convinced that he could synthesize her blood and create a cure for the sun.

"Other vampires came for Valerius that night because he had these fairies and was feeding from them, allowing them to live; enjoying every benefit all to himself. The Fae were almost extinct by then, so you can imagine their jealousy. Claude was his favorite—his lover; he wanted to make Claude vampire and was close to making it a reality. It would have been considered a transgression worthy of the True Death. They came for him and silvered him, chained the fairies up and would have taken them off to feast upon them to their death. They escaped. The vampires glamoured all of the villagers which is why the account ends so abruptly. They left Valerius in back of his villa, silvered and lying in the middle of his small vineyard, to die in the burning rays of the morning sun. But he had fed from his three fae loves; he survived the morning and lived to exact his vengeance upon the vampires who had come to kill him."

"This is the motherfucker we have to stop?"

"Believe it or not, he is not our only concern. Faery is a dimension that all of the surviving fairies on Earth escaped to, to get away from us; when Claudine came for Sookie a year ago that's where she took her. But the fairies were harvesting other humans to help populate their race again. When Sookie found this out it was Claude who helped her to escape. Sookie's understanding was that the portal to that dimension closed forever and that Claude remained. I had a meeting with Eric Northman and Joseph Liu before we left, Tara—somehow Claude has come back from Faery. For what purpose, I do not know, but that is what we have been sent to find out."

"Uh, explain to me how karate is supposed to help us against fairies and a four-thousand year-old vampire, exactly?" Tara said then, pissed beyond measure and totally outdone.


	63. A Matter Of Course

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 63 A Matter Of Course

Bill and Tara finished reading the dossier on Valerius and had two hours to kill before their training with Shashen'Ka and Victor.

"Are you alright?" Bill asked her as they headed up the stairs.

"I don't know...the verdict is still out on that," she said as she stopped midway and turned to face him.

"Well, you have got to see this club—even Erik was greatly impressed. And we can have a bite to eat before training."

"That'll work. Come here..." she directed him as she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him up closer to her.

"Yes?" He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at her.

"You know what I want," she said softly as she prepared to meet his kiss.

* * *

><p>When they got to Shashen'Ka's office they were greeted by Victor who handed them each a red karategi like his own then led them down another level to Shashen'Ka's dance studio. The studio was very much like their cubby except that the twenty-foot steel-beamed ceiling was equipped with track lighting and the purple clinker brick walls were paneled with eight foot mirrors; the floor was a light sprung hardwood and dancer's barres were affixed to each wall; there was a piano and a sound system for playing CD's but no music was playing.<p>

"Welcome, my friends! I hope you had a good days sleep and enjoyed your dinner. This is my dance studio slash dojo—there is a room in back where you can both change." Victor escorted them to the changing room. Within minutes they were changed and back on the floor before her. Victor went then to a simple bamboo obi stand displayed with belts in all colors of the rainbow, and retrieved red belts for himself and Shashen'Ka.

"If you'll notice, the belts—_obi_—next on the obi stand are not actually dyed black, but are white belts stained with the dirt of many years of practice," she said as she smiled at them and demonstrated how to tie it properly. "In some schools and arts it is the opinion that the belt should never be washed, lest you wash away your _ki_—your knowledge. I agree with that philosophy. The black belt represents first to ninth dan in the _yudansha_—holders of rank; our red belts represent tenth dan in yudansha. Your white belts represent seventh kyū _mudansha_—holders without rank. " Victor went then and retrieved two white belts. Shashen'Ka joined him as he showed Bill how to tie his and she showed Tara how to tie hers. She stepped back to admire them.

"The traditional _gi—_your training uniform_—_is white; other colors are sometimes used to differentiate between students and Masters, but can be any color—of course I have indulged myself by using my favorite. Both of you have a seat on the floor please, lotus style." Bill and Tara obeyed.

"Tara, I can see by the look on your face you find this all very interesting but that after what you've read of Octavian Valerius' dossier you find this endeavor somewhat—pointless?" Shashen'Ka smiled at her.

"Are you a mind reader?" Tara smiled back nervously.

"Not at all. As a human I understood the importance of combat training for use against other humans. When I became vampire I felt very much as you do now—a human training style for use against the undead? Really?"

Everyone in the room chuckled except for Victor.

"Let us just say that my Maker made a believer out of me," she continued. "I guarantee that this training will help you with your task at hand and beyond.

"You read the dossier; you have a better idea now what you're dealing with. Valerius was and still is a master in the use of all types of weapons; he's a politician; he is diabolical and cunning; he has been, in one form or another, firmly ensconced in vampire politics since he so ruthlessly exacted his revenge upon the vampires who came to kill him over six hundred years ago and most likely before that. Those politics were nothing like they are today—they were rather basic and quite fast and loose: you didn't kill your own kind without _very_ good reason; you never infringed on another vampires territory or property; it was absolutely forbidden to make hybrid vampires out of other supernaturals; making child vampires was frowned upon but not unheard of and allowed in some instances; humans were food, first and foremost, but the making of another vampire was not to be entered into lightly—the purpose behind the display of Isabel's execution was quite genuine.

"Fairies require a different sort of handling altogether. They are quite effectively able to fend off the young vampire, send one scorching to their death. The Ancient vampire is impossible to vanquish without assistance of some kind. They don't even usually try that—the weapon of choice against an Ancient is typically avoidance at all costs.

"I assure you that what you will learn here in the next few days is far from pointless and could be the difference between seeing another sunset—or your last." She reached out her hands to each of them and helped them up off of the floor. "Let's get started..."

* * *

><p>Sunday evening in Los Angeles found Sarah and Trey firmly entrenched in their new, if temporary, digs at the Figueroa Hotel. They sat at Trey's favorite table between the bar and the pool taking in the sunset as it settled over the L. A. skyline and kissed it goodbye, giving way to the magic hour of twilight which always made Trey feel newly reborn.<p>

"So, we know three name on that list—do you know the last one?" he asked Sarah as she toyed with the margarita she was pretending to drink.

"No, I've never heard of her before..."

"So, who should we go to first? Ginger, Eric Northman or Bill Compton? I vote for Ginger—she was way cool with us."

"Yes, she was. I think you're right. I just hate to go back to Shreveport, though."

Trey said nothing.

"I wonder who Sabeen Zaya is? She sounds exotic and wonderful," Sarah mused. "And how in the world would we ever find her?"

"You don't have to look far, children—I am right here."

Trey and Sarah looked to where the voice behind them had come from and saw a rather plain-looking woman with shoulder-length shaggy dark hair. She wore dark horn-rimmed glasses and had the easy but officious air and look of a highly-regarded academic. She wore a simple royal blue silk tunic and matching neck scarf over a pair of black slacks, a sensible pair of black loafers upon her feet.

Trey stood immediately to greet her as a matter of course, wondering what in the world her affiliation with Nan had been.

"Please join us?"

"Of course—what a fine young gentleman you are, Trey," she said as she took a seat between them. "Hello, Sarah—please close your mouth now, dear," she instructed her shocked new acquaintance kindly.

"I...how did you..." Sarah stammered.

"We cannot remain here much longer, children. Trey, it is a good thing that you were so compassionate with the young waiter the other night—had you been rash and unthinking Sarah would be completely orphaned now."

"What?" asked Trey as a look of fear came over his handsome face.

"The young waiter—he is a favorite pet of the vampire who runs this particular territory. But you have over-stayed your welcome, the both of you.

"You were wise not to go back to the Oviatt—that was an arrangement made by Nan that is indeed non-transferable to the two of you. Her executioners have cleared out, however, you can be assured of that," Sabeen told them with certainty. "You have made the mistake of many a fledgling in that you are totally not attuned yet to others of your kind in your midst...too wrapped up in the newness of your being, as is typical. But you must leave here. I have assured the vampire in question that you will do so immediately."

"Where will..."

"With me, of course," Sabeen interrupted Sarah with a smile. "Come now, both of you. I am not in the mood for altercations this evening—he is a volatile one, our unwilling host. There will be plenty of time to talk once we get where we're going."

"Where is that?" Sarah dared to ask.

"I want to surprise you...trust me—you will like it. And you will be safe. Come now," she rose and gestured for them to follow her before she disappeared. Sarah and Trey made haste as they caught up easily and vanished with her into the night.


	64. Wrecks In Effect

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 64 Wrecks In Effect

Holly, Lafayette, Terry and seven other members of the wait staff were all assembled in the dining room waiting for Sam to come from his back office and speak with them.

"I'm sorry, y'all—that was a call I had to take from Tipton Distributing—they let Lenny Bean go and they just wanted to tell me about the new delivery schedule.

"Okay, I know we haven't had a staff meeting in a long time and we have an hour before we open, so I'll make this quick. First off, everyone here has just been doing a super job and you're all getting wage increases."

Everyone in the room cheered.

"Y'all deserve it and it's just one small way that I can show my appreciation. Come see me individually after your shifts so I can go over the particulars with you and any other payroll issues you may have—Ginnie..." he looked over at the young hostess and she sprang further to attention. "I know you had a question about your deductions?"

"Yes," she nodded at him.

"Okay, we'll go over that. Alright, next thing on the agenda: I've got some promotions to announce."

The buzz in the room began enthusiastically.

"Yeah, it's about time, right?" he smiled at them all. "I'm appointing two new Assistant Managers. I offered the job first to Arlene, but we all know she's happily expecting a little one on the way and she turned it down; I offered it to Lafayette and he happily declined, as well," he said as the two men looked at each other and smiled. He had met with Lafayette earlier the previous Saturday and Lafayette had told him thanks but no thanks; between the road crew, Hajj coming up at the end of the year and his other personal commitments he told Sam that he didn't feel he could give the position the hundred percent effort that it deserved. "I also offered it to Sookie, but she has other commitments that prevent her from taking the position, as well," he further explained.

"So, that left it to my two other senior candidates: a newcomer who has made a big, big difference around here and proven herself very worthy; and a gentleman who's been my right hand for a lot of years, a real team-player and just plain deserving. So, without further ado and with much happiness, I'd like you all to give a hand, your congratulations and support to Terry Bellefleur and Holly Cleary," he clapped his hands as the others all joined in applause, hoots and hollers.

"You might be asking why we need two assistant managers and I'll tell you why: I knew I wanted Terry and I also knew that Terry was not coming full time off that grill—and nobody in Bon Temps would want him to either," he said as everyone agreed with him vocally in one way or another. "There's gonna be some other changes around here soon—all positive—but most noticeably you're all gonna see a little less of me for a while, starting this coming weekend. So again, I want you to give Holly and Terry your full support, which I know you will, and know—as I do—that you're in very good hands. Thank you all for your continued hard work, I couldn't ask for a better crew. Alright, let's get this day started."

As everyone dispersed Terry approached Sam.

"Thanks again, Sam...with the baby coming and everything else this opportunity is a real blessing."

"Terry, you deserve this and a hell of a lot more. I really appreciate you, man."

As was Terry's custom he brought Sam into his strong manly embrace for a heartfelt hug. "Alright then, I've got a date with some endouille," he said as he released him and left for the kitchen.

Holly approached him next. "Ditto here, Sam. And I don't mean to be in your business or anything, but that new lady of yours? Well, let me just say I'm real happy for you. And I want you to know that whenever you're gone, well, me and Terry have got your back."

Sam responded by giving her a hug. "Thanks, Holly, I really appreciate that. Come on, I need to fill you in on our account with Tipton Distributing—they've got some other issues way more problematic than the situation with poor old Lenny..." he said when he released her and led her back to the office.

* * *

><p>At Bon Temps Police Station Jason was back at work and happy to be there. Maxine Fortenberry had shown up promptly at five-thirty a.m. and had taken the babies right over as if she had never not been there; and even though he had Maxine staunchly in his corner he found that he was still too wired to relax and settle his mind completely. He had dropped Timbo and Becky off at school and left them in the more than capable hands of Ms. Hines but he was still worried about them and how their first day ever in public school was going; he felt like an emotional wreck and couldn't understand why he couldn't shake it all off and enjoy the fact that many of the small pieces of his life were finally coming together. He stared at the file in his hand but only saw lines run together and disappear then reassemble in an undecipherable jumble; he threw it down upon the desk with a loud smack and then put his hands to his temples, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. When he opened them he reached for the phone.<p>

"Hey Sook..."

"Jason?"

"Yeah. Where are you right now?"

"My meeting is about to start in about five minutes..." she said, sounding a touch out of sorts herself.

"What's the matter? You sound funny..."

"Oh, I just found out that Holly is not here—someone else is leading the meeting today and I really wanted to talk to her afterwards, that's all. I'm okay. What's up with you, hon?"

"I don't know Sook, I'm all wound up and worried; I couldn't sleep worth a damn last night—I've been up since three o'clock; I can't focus on anything worth a damn here at work, cases are backed up but I keep thinking I'm gonna get a call from the school any minute; I'm glad to be back at work but I really just want to run home, check on the kids—I'm so fucked up right now I don't know whether to scratch my watch or wind my ass."

"Jason, honey—didn't Mrs. Fortenberry show up this morning?"

"Yeah, she did..."

"And you got Becky and Timbo off to school?"

"Well yeah, but..."

"Jason, welcome to parenthood, honey. Just calm down, okay? It's going to take a little while for you to fall into the routine, that's all—everything has happened so fast...you'll be alright. I'll go and check on everybody before I go to work, okay? After the kids get home from school. And when I call you and tell you that everything is fine you'll be able to have a little chuckle over this. Just try to get focused, hon, I'm sure everything is going just fine. Really, Jason, try to focus," she admonished him sweetly.

"Thanks, Sook, I'll try."

"Good. I gotta go now, the meeting is starting..."

"Okay, bye sweetheart. And thanks."

"Anytime. Bye Jason."

Jason picked up the file again and tried to follow his sister's advice. He resisted the urge to phone home and check in with Maxine or call Ms. Hines at the school for a status report.

"Get a fucking grip on yourself, Stackhouse," he mumbled to himself disgustedly as he forced himself to really concentrate on what he was reading.

* * *

><p>Noon time at Merlotte's was as busy as ever. Terry had just gone out in back of the restaurant to take a break when he heard the crunch of speeding tires on the gravel come to a screeching halt around front. He went to see what the commotion was all about and saw a car he recognized as Andy's come into view. He rushed over to his cousin.<p>

"Andy, man? You're driving like the hounds of hell are on your tail—what's wrong, cuz?"

"Damn it, Terry, that's exactly what I feel like—come with me around back, would ya?" Andy grabbed his cousin's arm and led him away, looking over his shoulder nervously to make sure that they were alone. Once they were in back Andy took a deep breath. "She came looking for me, Terry..."

"Who, cuz?"

"That woman I told you about, the one I met in the woods...she came to my AA meeting this morning..."

"Oh, so she's an alcoholic. That explains a lot," he said then.

"No, no, Terry—you were right—she ain't human. And she's in a heap of trouble...and because I promised her that I would keep her safe she's come calling expecting me to do just that."

"Now why did you do that?"

"I was fucked up, Terry; I would have said anything to have her, promised anything, and I did—now she's come for me expecting me to honor it," he said frantically.

"Well, what did you promise her?"

"I told you already...that I would keep her safe."

"Safe from what?"

"Others like her. Man, you gotta help me..."

"Well, where is she now, Andy?" Terry asked him sternly.

Andy had looked scared and frantic before, but he dropped his head then out of fear of his cousin's next reaction. "She's at the house," he mumbled gruffly.

"What? Gran's house? Our house?" came his angry request for clarification.

"Yes! I didn't know where else to take her and she wouldn't leave my side until I took her somewhere that she was convinced was my place. She's in my room, as we speak, waiting for me to come back. I need you to help me, Terry."

"By doing what, exactly?" Terry's voice thundered at him furiously.

"Come with me, come help me..."

"Damn it! I just got promoted to Assistant Manager here at Merlotte's this very morning, Andy—and here you come with some shit like this? You have to get that creature out of our house before she brings harm to us all. I can't believe you just left her there with Gran and my wife...damn I want to kick your ass right now! Shit!" Terry yelled at him and started pacing in circles.

"Grandmother is not there and neither is Arlene, Terry, calm the fuck down."

"Where the hell are they, then?"

"Grandmother had her doctor's appointment today and Arlene took her—and Mikey is with them, of course. Nobody is home."

Terry rushed his cousin then and grabbed him by his shirt collar. "You get your ass in your car and hightail it home, Andy Bellefleur, and get that creature out of our house. I mean it! And you better pray that Gran and Arlene ain't got back yet, because if they get home before you do I'll leave here and come kill you and be the happiest man in prison that anyone ever did see, are you hearin' me?" said Terry in a rage.

"I hear you." Andy knew full well that his cousin was speaking an absolute truth. "But where will..."

"I don't give a FUCK—where you go! GET HER OUT, ANDY! And you fucking call me and tell me that the house is clear after you do, asshole..." Terry snarled at him and then shoved Andy, sending him crashing to the ground. Andy scrambled away from him, ran to his car and got in, then peeled away like a bat out of hell.

* * *

><p>The day faded and passed into evening and the air in Bon Temps seemed rife with tension. Jason managed to get through his day until Sookie called him and assuaged his immediate fears before he finally went tearing home at the end of his shift; Terry somehow managed get back inside Merlotte's and do his job while he waited for Andy's call telling him that the house was clear and went tearing home at the end of his shift, as well. When he passed by Sookie as she came in he said not a word and the look on his face actually frightened her. She caught only a glimpse into his mind, through no desire of her own, and only heard his mind echo the name of his wife and grandmother over and over again as he rushed past her as if she did not exist at all.<p>

Sookie was fraught with worry over her own situation and the deceptive act she and Eric had planned for the evening; it was her turn now to work under the pressure of the nerve-racking unknown and she tried hard to follow her own advice that she had given to her brother earlier in the day.

* * *

><p>Nora entered Octavian's private quarters promptly at sunset to find him busy at his sleek laptop.<p>

"My Liege, good evening."

"Good evening, my lovely Nora," he said without looking up. "My constituents are greatly pleased over the demise of Nan Flanagan," he said, overjoyed with himself.

"As was to be expected. Congratulations, again," she said as she stood at attention before his desk.

"Yes, as was to be expected. Have you located Eric?"

"Not yet. As was also to be expected, after our meeting Friday night."

"Yes—the coward."

Nora said nothing and continued to display no emotion whatsoever.

"What of his hybrid whore?"

"She is very much available—working tonight at the restaurant belonging to the Shapeshifter. Do you want me to look in on her this evening?"

Octavian finished up a document he was writing, snapped his laptop shut and finally looked at her. "Yes, that would be most appreciated. We need to know what she knows—I want you to bring her to me."

"Yes, my Liege. What of your two loose ends in Los Angeles?"

"They amuse me. And I have sent Sabeen for them. I will afford them a little time to see if they may prove useful to me—if not, Sabeen will dispatch with them accordingly."

"Very good. Is there anything more you require of me at the moment?"

Octavian rose from his chair and made his way to her, chuckling softly to himself as he approached her. "My lovely one, there is _always _something more that I require of you," he said as he took her roughly into his embrace.


	65. PlacesAction

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 65 Places...Action

It was packed at Merlotte's that night thanks to a rousing Lakers/Spurs game on the big flat screen and word of mouth over Terry's andouille sausage corn fritters and crawfish and andouille sausage pizza. As Sam went to the freezer to retrieve more of each he passed Lafayette, who was working over time and singing over a pot of his famous gumbo, and smiled.

"Hey man..."

"Hey, boss..."

"I just gotta tell you, as blessed as I am to have you and Terry working for me it's a wonder both of you don't leave me to start restaurants of your own—man you guys are magic in the kitchen..." Sam told him, almost drunk on the heavenly aromas assaulting his nose from Lafayette's pots.

"Thanks boss, the thought has entered my mind but ain't never really stuck. I speak for Terry and me both when I say it's a lot of love goin' into this food—that's what makes it so good. Ain't nothing but love, Sam. I don't know any other kitchen in the world could match what we gots happenin' up in here," he said with a snap of his finger as he did a little dip.

Sam smiled.

"Now go on, baby, and bring me some more of Terry's fritters and pizza—there's two tables full of cheerleaders out there workin' on round two and I overheard one of 'em say the shit was so good that if she had a dick it would be hard..."

Sam let out a hearty guffaw. "I'm on it..." he said as he left for the freezer.

* * *

><p>By nine p.m. Sookie was a bundle of nerves. To make matters even worse Alcide had shown up with Janice.<p>

"Hey you two, it's so good to see you," Sookie said genuinely when she came to their table. Janice rose and gave her a big hug.

"My God, girl, it's great to see you! Sorry I couldn't make your party, but my dad was sick..." Janice began apologetically.

"I know, Alcide told me. I sure hope he's better now. Hey Alcide," Sookie greeted him, feeling more than awkward. She had put him off so many times since her party and hadn't told him anything of her and Eric's reunion.

"Hey Sookie. Been a while, huh?" He smiled at her but behind it Sookie could feel the slight reprimand in his voice.

"Uh..."

"It's okay. I heard about you and Eric," he said gruffly.

"Oh, uh..." she stammered.

"What's good on the menu tonight?" he said as he gave her a look that let her know he didn't want to talk about it, either.

Sookie took their order and tried to calm her nerves. Because business had been so brisk she'd been able to allow the distraction of work to take her mind very temporarily off of the dread she was feeling in her very bones. She didn't know when Eric was going to show up and her anxiety level had been rising exponentially since sundown. It was an effort to be present in the moment and her worries and fear for Eric's safety was enough to drown out all the thoughts of the other people in the restaurant. The unexpected element of Alcide being present for the show just made her feel more out of sorts and sorry that she would be inflicting a whole other level of betrayal upon him.

Finally, about twenty minutes later, Eric came bursting through the door and into the dining room. Sookie's shocked surprise was genuine. He rushed over to her with his vampire speed, alarming every patron in the place.

"I need to speak to you...privately..." he said as he took her by the arm and surveyed the room very pointedly with his eyes then rested them back upon her.

"Eric, I'm working—can't this wait?" she said irritatedly as she went into her act.

"I assure you this is important..." he said urgently, his voice soft but still loud enough to be heard by all.

"Eric, I'm working," she jerked her arm away and went to the table waiting for the plates in her hand. "Here y'all go, enjoy..." she said with a smile to her customers as she ignored Eric. She made to head for the kitchen for her next order. Eric rushed her again, this time with a scowl upon his face.

"You leave me no choice then..."

"What is it, Eric? I haven't seen you since Friday night now you come in here with this crap? Whatever you have to say I really don't want to hear it. Now get out of my way..." she tried to get past him.

"Sookie, I'm going away," he said angrily.

"Then go, already!" she yelled at him. From the kitchen Lafayette turned away from the stove and looked over at her. When he saw Eric he frowned. Sam had just come from the freezer again and when he turned to see what Lafayette was frowning at he did the same.

"What the fuck now?" Sam said irritatedly under his breath as he left the kitchen and headed in Sookie's direction. When he walked into the dining room Alcide met him.

"Hey man," Sam greeted him with a pat on the back although his gaze never wavered from the two across the room.

"Hey Sam—I see shit doesn't ever change with him," Alcide said as he motioned with a nod of his head over at Eric.

"Sookie!" Eric shouted at her, "I'm going away. For good."

Sookie looked stunned. "What do you mean, Eric? Eric?"

"This is over—we are over. It's all over—I'm leaving Louisiana."

"Wait a minute, what in blazes are you talking about? I know the past few days have been...disappointing...but we can work through this, Eric, just give me a chance...please?" Sookie clutched at his arm.

"No," Eric threw her hand away from him. "I must have been crazy to...goodbye, Sookie Stackhouse."

"Wait a minute? Eric? Where are you going?" Sookie's tears began to flow and they were real; she really had no idea where he was going but she hoped that their little show looked convincing.

Eric lingered a moment longer then took a step away from her. Just then Remy, Hadley and Hunter came in through the front door.

"_What show, aunt Sookie?"_ Hunter asked her silently.

_Oh, sweet Jesus,_ Sookie groaned inwardly. _"Hunter, not now—and you can't tell anybody—not your mama or you daddy, do you hear me? No, don't look at me and don't come ask me about it—this is our secret, baby...it's for your own good, I swear it...promise me?"_ She sent her urgent message to him; she fought the impulse to look at him and struggled to stay on task.

"_You're scaring me, aunt Sookie..."_

"_Don't be scared—haven't I always been honest with you?"_

"_Yes..."_

"_Then just promise me..."_

"_I promise."_

"_That's my good boy...I love you, honey, now just keep calm, no matter what you see, okay?"_

"_Okay."_

Eric could see that Sookie was distracted. When he turned to see who had come through the door he understood immediately. He gave her look through narrowed eyes hoping that she understood that he knew what was happening between her and Hunter. She gave him a look back that let him know that she did. To the room it looked as if they were squaring off. Everyone in the place was on edge; the room was dead silent except for the jukebox and the game playing loudly in the background and all eyes were on the two of them.

"Then go on, Eric Northman. Go to hell, for all I care, but take a walk on fucking sunny day first!" she screamed at him and ran out of the room.


	66. Unknown

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 66 Unknown

"You son of a bitch..." Sam said as he made to go to Eric. Alcide stopped him.

"Don't Sam," Alcide growled almost forgetting where he was, wanting to transform and attack the vampire who stood smirking at them both himself.

"You don't want to do that," Eric warned him smugly and then disappeared from them all.

Sam and Alcide looked at each other.

"Let me go to her..."

Sam bowed his head.

Alcide headed back to the kitchen and passed Lafayette, who looked stricken for his childhood friend.

"Office..." he said simply as he pointed the way to Alcide.

When Alcide got to Sam's office he found Sookie crying softly as she leaned against a wall.

"How many fucking times are you gonna let one of them break your heart? Damn it!" he roared at her.

Sookie wanted to confess everything, unburden herself to him, but knew that she absolutely could not. She had to keep up the act for everyone's safety, would have to bear her unspeakable torment alone until the whole ordeal with Octavian Valerius was over. Fresh tears began to fall as the impossibility of that task overwhelmed her.

"God damnit!" Alcide went to her and yanked her angrily away from the wall and into his arms, tears beginning to form in his own eyes, his love for her as crushing to his heart as his embrace was upon her body. Sookie could not resist sinking into him. Before she could give herself over to even just the momentary respite of him he grabbed her roughly by her arms and held her at arms length. "No, damn you..."

"Alcide, I didn't mean to..."

"Are you ready to admit now that bein' with a vampire is a hopeless case? Are you?" he demanded to know.

Sookie, shocked by his anger and rough treatment of her, said nothing.

"Well, then I guess you're a hopeless case, too. You just don't fucking get it, do you?" Alcide brought her back in to him, encircled her tiny waist with his arms and lifted her up so that her lips could meet his; he kissed her then, deeply and feverishly unapologetic in his intent. Sookie didn't bother to resist, lost in the moment and his warm grip upon her.

"Oh, isn't this lovely? You certainly don't waste any time, do you, Miss Stackhouse?" came the condescending voice of a woman from the the open doorway. She was flanked by two vampire guards.

Alcide set Sookie down and pushed her behind him.

"Who are you?" he snarled at the woman, who was a vampire, as well.

"Be a good wolf and stay out of this," she said snidely to him. "Sookie, where is he?"

Sookie stepped from behind Alcide. "I don't know."

"You expect me to believe that, do you?"

"You can believe whatever the hell you want. Eric left me and he didn't tell me where he was going."

"Hmm. Very well. Come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Sookie informed her defiantly.

"This is _not_ an invitation, whore." The woman raised her hand and the guards behind her rushed Sookie and carried her off through the back door of Merlotte's kicking and screaming. Alcide transformed into his wolf form and sprang at the vampire who caught him by his throat easily with both of her hands and tossed him into the wall. "If you're a very good boy you'll stay down...and stand a chance of seeing your fickle little darling again," she said as Alcide lay naked in a heap on the floor, glaring up at her, holding a cracked rib and in pain. "If you don't want to see her ever in life try that bullshit again. Good boy." And with that she disappeared.

* * *

><p>"The illustrious Sookie Stackhouse. Hello, my dear. I am Octavian Valerius...welcome to my humble abode."<p>

Sookie said nothing. Nora gave her a hard nudge to her ribcage.

"Speak when spoken to, hybrid whore," Nora hissed at her.

Sookie couldn't tell if any part of Nora's performance was an act at all and smarted genuinely at her touch.

"Where am I?" she asked him angrily.

"Oh, defiance? We _are_ going to have some fun, aren't we?" he laughed at her. "I believe you took a little chloroform to the nose, dear—can't have you divulging my location to interested parties, now can we?"

"Whatever. What do you want with me?"

"Where is Eric Northman?" Valerius said then, dispensing entirely with his mock hospitality.

"I don't know. All he said to me was that he was leaving Louisiana."

"Are there any others like you here in Bon Temps?"

"There was once—my godmother, Claudine. But Eric drained her dry."

Her host's steely gaze became steelier.

"I'm really tired of this capture and detain tactic y'all are all so fond of—if there's nothing else I'd like to go now." Sookie told him through a tight, clipped smile.

"You'll go when I say you can go, fairy." he retorted nastily. What else do you know of your heritage?"

"Not much. I didn't even know what I was until just over a year ago."

"Just so that you know, Miss Stackhouse, we will find him. There are not very many places vampires can hide from one another...for long. You can be assured that when he is found we shall meet again, you and I—for the last time." In his voice was a declaration of war and the promise of destruction.

"Wonderful, I can't wait," Sookie shot back at him with equal measure.

"Get her out of my sight," he ordered Nora angrily.

* * *

><p>When Sookie woke up she was at home in her own bed. She remembered her meeting with Valerius and shuddered. She didn't need to be told that she was being watched by his people and knew that her life at that point was no longer her own. Somehow she was going to have to go on with her life and get through every day living with the unknown of Eric's whereabouts and praying that he got to Valerius before Valerius got to him.<p> 


	67. Kata

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 67 Kata

Two nights prior Tara and Bill sat in awe as they watched Shashen'Ka and Victor demonstrate each form of kata, first slowly, then at the speed of human execution, and finally at vampire speed, which looked like than nothing more than an invisible blur. Watching them practice they both knew they were witnessing an art form of great beauty and devastating power.

Tara realized that all the karate, kung fu and ninja movies she had ever seen, both cheesy and epic, were nothing compared to the real thing in action. She was struck first by the sound of the crisp snap of the gi and the whoosh of air that accompanied even the slightest move that Shashen'Ka made as her hands and arms snapped into position in and out of punches and strikes; the great strength behind them absolutely floored her.

* * *

><p>"Karate is a striking art..." Shashen'Ka began that Monday night, "involving punches..." she demonstrated a flawless punch which was almost vertical and slightly canted to the inside. "Notice the angle of my hand—this produces a more stable and powerful strike. Kicking..." she demonstrated a perfect roundhouse kick. "Knee and elbow strikes..." Victor joined her then as she demonstrated one of each to his abdomen. "Open hand..." she demonstrated a knifehand strike. "Grappling..." she grabbed Victor by the head with one hand, under his armpit with the other then brought it down and grabbed the back of his knee and pulled the larger vampire easily down upon the floor. "Locks and restraints...Bill? Join me please?" she held out her hand to him and pulled him up off the floor.<p>

Bill stood before her in a quandary.

"Grab at my neck, please? Go ahead..." she said with a smile and then Bill complied. She turned her head away from his grasp, threw his hand away from her with her right hand, slapped her left hand inside of the offending hand's forearm and then pinned his hand into a wrist lock and led him about the floor to her will. "When I stand still notice my right foot and how it is positioned behind his—I can sweep him to the floor at any moment; simply disable him or take him out for the kill. Thank you, Bill. Your turn, Tara," she smiled at her sweetly.

"Your turn, Tara," Bill smiled at her as they passed each other.

"Throws, my dear—so much fun. Reach in and grab me here, Tara," Shashen'Ka pulled at the lapel of her gi. Tara did as instructed and Shashen'Ka did an outside block of Tara's hand with her left, then fed Tara's arm through her right and encircled her neck, stepped in behind her, turned and threw her to the ground. "I can then do a finishing punch," she demonstrated a knifehand to the jugular, "or, if my would-be assailant is particularly terrified and attractive and has information I need to extract before I kill them, I can do this..." she sat astride Tara, poised to strike and looked directly into her eyes. "Hello, particularly terrified and attractive would-be assailant—cough up the intel or you are dead meat." As usual everyone chuckled except Victor. "You're not taking this personally, are you Tara?" Shashen'Ka joked further.

"No, not at all," Tara smiled back.

"Wonderful." Shashen'Ka got off of Tara and helped her up from the floor. "Thank you, Tara. And of course there are the vital point strikes, which in our case is heart and head.

"We must give you an abbreviated course unfortunately," Shashen'Ka explained further that night, "so we will concentrate on four of the eleven kata...Kihon: in humans this is an important part of helping to ingrain techniques of karate into muscle memory. As vampires we don't need it for the muscle strengthening, but it is more than useful in helping to master your striking techniques; the three forms of Naihanchi: excellent training for close combat and fighting in enclosed spaces—which is exactly what fighting another vampire, especially an Ancient, is like; Pinan: a series of five empty hand forms; and Kūshankū: most notable for learning the flying kick and the "cheating" stance, as well as many other techniques that keep your opponent off balance and unable to attack. It takes humans ten years to master this kata, but not us, of course.

"Before we get started in earnest, let me tell you why I enjoy this form of martial arts so much. I am a woman of the people, as you both know. Okinawan karate developed out of necessity. Okinawa, Japan was once called the Ryukyu Islands. In 1609, the islands were a tributary under both the Chinese and a powerful Japanese clan. The poorest people and largest part of the population were farmers and the like, and the Shimazu clan introduced a policy banning commoners from owning swords. Complete bullshit, of course, because the commoners were always under attack from one feudal lord or another and they needed to be able to protect themselves. So what did they do? They turned their farming tools into weapons. This," she held up a three-pronged baton, "was used for planting seeds; you stab the longest prong into the dirt, drop in your seeds, water and here come your sweet potatoes. Add a marauding rapist to your day and grab another sai," she did so. "Because of expert training and lots of real-time practice you find out that grandpa is a real bad-ass..." she demonstrated the Kihon kata with the two weapons.

"You're coming back from the well now, two pails slung over the ends of a stick," Shashen'Ka went to a corner and retrieved the components for her next demonstration. "Soldiers are at your house now, ready to burn it down and take your few worldly possessions, as well as your wife for taxes...shuck the pails and your carry stick is a weapon..." Victor joined her and they battled. "This is a shinai...you get the picture. Common, every day tools used as deadly weapons by ingenious people who would not let themselves be beaten so easily. For that and so many other reasons this fighting style appeals to me. Against humans your mastery will prove to be deadly. Amongst Ancients your skills will certainly buy you time as you do battle—and many times, even the smallest edge can save you from death."

* * *

><p>So their training began and by Wednesday evening Shashen'Ka was convinced that Bill and Tara were ready to be released early and start their true mission.<p>

"Shashen'Ka, really? I can't believe we've learned so much in three nights."

"Well, you have and you are ready. When this is all over and you have triumphed—as I know that you will—I want you both to come back and learn the other seven katas for fun," she smiled at her new friend.

"That's a promise. Thank you both," Tara said to her and Victor. "I just can't thank you enough."

Victor, who was not prone to speaking much or showing any emotion at all, was the one to speak to Tara and Bill both then.

"Just come back—that's all the thanks we need," he said simply.


	68. AWOL

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 67 AWOL

In a room at Bon Temps Motel Andy Bellefleur sat uncomfortably in a chair across from the bed where Maurella was sleeping fitfully. He looked at his watch and realized that there was a good reason his stomach was gurgling and grumbling and almost vocalizing its need for food. Suddenly Maurella screamed out in her sleep; Andy rushed over to her to get her to quiet down.

"Hey...hey...wake up, you're having a bad dream...Maurella..."

She woke up with a start, her eyes full of terror, as her hands slapped at his face.

"Stop it, damn it, or somebody's gonna think I'm in here doin' something bad to you," he said through clenched teeth and a near whisper as he tried to get her to calm down. "Maurella!" he finally yelled at her.

"Andy?"

"Yes, damn it. I'm sorry I yelled at you, but you were having a bad dream."

"I was, but it didn't feel like a dream at all—it felt very real. I'm sorry, Andy," she apologized in earnest.

"I am, too," he grumbled.

"What?" She looked at him then, positively hurt.

"Nothing. Look, I'm starving—are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"What I really want is a good hot meal from Merlotte's, but I don't dare take you there. There's a burger joint up the highway—come with me to get some food..."

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later they were back at the motel where Andy could hardly open the door for holding all of his bags of food and trying to polish off an order of french fries.<p>

"Here, give me the key—I can do that," Maurella smiled at him as she unlocked the door and opened it for them both. Once inside Andy plopped back into the chair and handed her a bag of food as he delved back into his own. "Here, eat..."

"What is this?" she said as she peered into her bag.

"Where have you been that you don't know burgers and fries when you see them?" he asked her incredulously.

"Burgers and fries?" She took out a french fry and sniffed it.

"That's a cooked potato..."

"Really? I know what potatoes are, but I've never seen one like this..."

"Where the hell are you from, Maurella?"

"I'm from Faery, Andy—a whole other dimension away from Earth."

"You know," he began between chews, "I've seen so much shit in the past couple of years of my life—I won't waste time not believing you. How did you get here?"

"I escaped through a portal with a few others of my kind."

"Why?"

"Our Queen—she's lost her mind. She closed a portal off so that no more fairies—that's what I am, by the way—could escape here. But there's more than one portal that leads to Earth and one of another of us found it and was powerful enough to open it on his own. A group of us followed him here but got separated during the jump. I know he's here somewhere, but, obviously, I haven't found him yet. When I absolutely could not find him or any of the others I came back here looking for you."

"So, you left your world to get away from a crazy queen; you followed some other fairy guy but he abandoned you; the rest of your friends are AWOL—what in the world can I possibly do to help you, Maurella?"

"I saw you in the woods that night, Andy and you were tall and strong and handsome..."

"Handsome? You haven't been on Earth long, have you?" he grunted.

"You are handsome, Andy—how could you not know that? If I was free to live my life as I pleased I would love nothing better than spending it just making you happy. Fairies can make love with anyone they please—everyone seems to be attracted to us for one reason or another—but we seem to have a special bond with humans; one that usually develops into a thing of true love and often results in marriage and children—a real life together. Many supernaturals are attracted to us, werewolves and the like; relationships with witches usually end very badly; vampires love our blood and tend to drain us dry. As a matter of fact, vampires have almost completely wiped out our species which is why our Queen took us to Faery in the first place, thousands of years ago."

"Then why would any of you ever want to come back here? The world is crawling with vampires—here in Bon Temps they've practically taken over. Wait a minute...did you just say _thousands _of years ago?"

"Yes."

Andy grabbed another burger out of the bag and attacked it like it was a shot of whiskey.

"What is that you're eating?"

"A hamburger—meat—beef—cooked cow."

Maurella grimaced and put her bag down.

"You said you know potatoes—eat some of those—you need to eat something," he said then with real concern in his voice. Maurella registered his soft tone then looked up and smiled at him sweetly.

"Alright...I trust you..." she said as she retrieved one from the bag and took a careful bite. "It's not bad...quite tasty, actually. Thank you, Andy."

"Maurella," he began as he put his bag down and concentrated his full attention upon her, "when you saw me in the woods that night, did you make love to me because you really wanted me or because you thought that would be the best way to bind me to you? To get me to help you? Be honest, please."

"Andy, I'd been searching for days looking for anyone of my kind; I'd come across plenty of other human men that I could have done the same with, but I didn't. Yes, I needed your help and I was desperate: desperately lost and desperate to find Claude; but I would not have offered myself to you if I didn't like you, if I hadn't been attracted to you. And I am attracted to you, Andy, not just because I need your help. I saw you and your cousin and how sweet you both were with each other. And from listening to you both I could tell that he was married and you were not. I was so happy when he left you in the woods—it was as if I had been given a gift."

"You're shittin' me."

"I know that term, Andy—I am not 'shittin' you," she assured him.

"You're not?" Andy still found it incredible that such as beautiful creature could find him even remotely interesting

Maurella rose from the bed where she had been sitting and came to him and straddled him in his chair. "I am not," she said softly as she looked him squarely in his eyes.

"Who's Claude?" he whispered.

"The one who led us here..." she whispered back before she bent down and kissed his neck gingerly.

"Maurella..."

"Shh...Andy...we can talk more later...please make love to me now?"

Andy found himself helpless not to oblige her.


	69. Time Clock

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 69 Time Clock

Thursday evening promptly at sunset Bill and Tara took off via Anubis Air for Frankfurt. After their jet lifted off and reached cruising altitude they were both served luscious blood sorbets.

"Mmm, so good..." Tara cooed.

Bill only smiled as he continued reading the file before him.

"You know what I love most about Europe?" she asked him between spoonfuls.

"No, what?"

"I love that you can get to almost any country in three hours or less...love that shit! Makes traveling so much more fun."

"I agree."

"We've got time to get there _and_ get some work done—all in the same night! I am so hyped right now!"

"I take it that you have changed your view on our training, then?"

"You know that I have—I feel a lot better prepared—more than I thought possible, that's for damn sure."

"As do I," he said as he watched her finish her sorbet with glee.

"I guess I was hungry..." she said with a sheepish grin when she noticed him smiling at her devilishly. "What?"

"You look about three years old right now, licking your spoon like that..." he leaned closer into her and tweaked her nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"I can think of other things I'd like to lick right about now..." she shot him a knowing smile as she leaned closer in to him.

"Wicked little girl...I would take you up on that..." he traced the outline of her lips gingerly with his finger, "if we did not have other pressing matters at hand—but do hold that thought."

"Oh, you're no fun at all..." she chided him playfully. "Uh, are you going to finish that or not?" she pointed to his sorbet and then reached for it. Bill smacked her hand lightly.

"Yes, I am..."

"Okay, okay—where do we go first?"

"Dr. Rayford Stokes, retired military physician—hematology/oncology. He separated from service three years ago but moved back to Germany four months ago on his own dime and is a consultant at Landstuhl Air Base Regional Medical Center..." Bill read out loud to her. "No family with him although he has a wife back in Atlanta, Georgia and a grown son stationed currently at Kadena Air Base, Japan; he has taken up residence at Burgschänke, an historic hotel in the Palatinate Forest. He still maintains the highest security clearance and has been seen taking meetings with an unknown male of indiscriminate age. That is all we have for now."

"Valerius?"

"There is just no way to be sure—we simply have no other description."

"Meetings where?"

"At the hotel—always at night. That was verified by reports taken from the wait staff."

"My first interrogation—I hope you'll respect me in the morning," Tara batted her eyelashes at him.

Bill picked up the manila folder from the table before them and gave Tara a playful tap to the top of her head.

"Hey!" she chuckled as she took the file from him.

"Behave yourself," he scolded her lightly.

"Yeah, yeah..." she said as she picked up the file and got serious.

* * *

><p>In Caddo Parish Wednesday evening Julian Cromwell had a visitor.<p>

"Thank you, Julian, I appreciate your hospitality. I know that I can't run for long—I've been taking it morning by morning; I'm just trying to buy some time until I hear from Bill and Tara."

"Of course, Eric, anything that I can do for you—just ask it. You're welcomed to go to ground here as long as you like."

"No, even one morning jeopardizes you—more would be asking for trouble," Eric sighed heavily. "I will need you to be a go-between for Andrej Kuznetsov and me, if you will. I haven't been able to safely contact Joseph Liu—he's got his hands full with Roma Vicenzo bird-dogging his every move. It is best if he doesn't know that I've been to see you or that you're involved in this in any way."

"I can handle myself, Eric, don't trouble yourself over that," Julian assured him.

"I'm just trying to hold out until Friday, Belarus time—Bill and Tara are supposed to start their investigation then."

"Is there someone there that I can call now?"

"Of course—how could I forget...call Vitaly Makarov..." Eric retrieved his cell phone. "This is his number at Kalvaryja—he's Andre's right hand man—he'll know something." Julian looked at Eric's phone and punched the numbers into his own cell.

"I'll call him now..." Julian said as he put the call through.

* * *

><p>"I am not pleased to see you, Mr. Liu, I'm sure that you're aware of this fact?"<p>

Octavian Valerius had Joseph Liu detained in his dungeon, seated in a chair flanked by guards behind him as he stood before him with Nora at his side.

"What do you want with me, Valerius?"

"You know damn well what I want—where is Eric Northman?"

"I have no idea at all," Liu answered him honestly.

"Really? You were seen in Los Angeles, Liu, at the Oviatt, leaving Nan Flanagan's suite, less than an hour before I arrived Friday evening—what were you doing there?"

Liu remained silent.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?" Valerius' voice boomed out at Liu like thunder but still he sat silent and unyielding.

"I see. I know that you went there to warn her, traitor—do you deny it?"

Liu only smiled then. He had known early on that his fate was to die in the endeavor to stop Octavian Valerius. He smiled to mask his fear for Eric and Nora both; he smiled to mask his sorrow at losing his good friend, Nan, whom he had shared many adventures in the past with; he smiled so that he could concentrate on something other than his desire to look at his friend Nora and say goodbye with his eyes; he smiled to taunt and distract Valerius and keep him focused on his rage and his gaze away from Nora's convincing but fragile poker face, for they both knew exactly what was coming next.

"Really? So, you are ready to die, then. Fine. Until I can give my constituents the blood of Eric Northman yours will have to suffice."

Liu watched as Valerius produced a pair of leather gloves from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, held them out for Nora and then went to a far wall displayed with an array of weapons mounted upon it; he pointed to a fine silver stake that Liu recognized well—it was Nan's prized Kota Gede.

"Nora, dear, would you kindly do the honors?"

Nora said nothing as she slipped on the gloves and then retrieved the stake from the wall; there was only one way to do it to keep either of them from betraying their true sorrow over the tragic turn of events: she rushed at her friend with her vampire speed and impaled the stake through his heart with merciful quickness. Liu's body exploded before them all into a pile of bloody goo.

"Nora? That was no fun at all? You didn't even play with him first..." Valerius pouted at her.

"You could have given me a heads up, Octavian—these are my favorite Louboutin's I've just ruined," she complained convincingly.

Valerius laughed heartily.

* * *

><p>"Good news, Eric..." Julian began when he snapped his phone shut, "Mr. Makarov informed me that Bill and Tara finished their training early—they are already in Kaiserslautern tracking down their first lead. He sent his best regards, by the way."<p>

"Thank you, Julian, that is good news."

"He said that he would call me as soon as there was anything further to report. I really think we're going to hear something sooner rather than later—just stay here, Eric," Julian pleaded with him.

"I appreciate that, Julian, but Nora could show up here at any time—when I finally let her take me in I want to have everything I need and be prepared to take Valerius out. Let's just hope we hear something before sunrise."

"Alright, Eric, I understand. There must be something else I can do..." Julian said desperately.

"Just watch your back after I leave here, Julian. And be assured that if I need your help with anything else I will certainly ask for it."

Julian patted his friend on the back and gave him a supportive nod of his head.

* * *

><p>When Tara and Bill landed in Frankfurt it was only nine-thirty p. m.<p>

"We don't have to go through the airport, Tara—we can go directly to Kaiserslautern," he informed her as they headed down the steps to the tarmac.

"But I want to see it—I mean, damn—did you see that skyline?"

"Yes, Frankfurt is a beautiful city..."

"I just want to see it...just give me fifteen minutes, tops...please?"

"Come on, then—we'll go right past customs and lose ourselves in the crowd in the terminal."

"Cool, thank you, baby," she gave him a quick kiss to his lips and then they took off.

"Wow, I feel like I just stepped into the future—or a science fiction movie...this place is phenomenal..." she said as she admired the polished silver, corrugated steel and the futuristic lines of the design of it all. "Hey, have you noticed the presence of any other vampires in here?" she asked him suddenly.

"As a matter of fact, I haven't..."

"I think we should get out of here..." she frowned at him.

"What is it, Tara?"

"I don't know, I just feel funny. Are we renting a car or something to get to Kaiserslautern?"

"No, it's only an hour and a half away—we can get there much faster on our own speed," he told her as he surveyed the airport with suspicious eyes.

Tara said nothing else as she took his hand and disappeared with him out of the terminal.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later they were standing outside of the hotel.<p>

"Nice place—good goin', Dr. Stokes," Tara said as she took in the Old World charm of the place. "Well, let's find out if he's here...you want to take this one or let me?"

"You know I like to watch..." Bill told her seductively as he gave her a gentle push towards the door.

"Um-hmm—_you _hold _that_ thought...be right back," she said with a sly grin as she left him.

Tara walked into the hotel and went to the front desk with her vampire speed; to the clerk it looked as if she'd appeared magically and he jumped.

"Guten Abend, Fräulein, sprechen Sie Deutsch?" smiled the friendly older gentleman behind the counter.

"Es tut mir leid, sehr wenig - kann ich nur Ihnen eine frage stellen?"

"Sicher, ein schöner, wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?"

"Warum, ich danke Ihnen sehr..." Tara leaned closer to him over the counter and lowered her voice as she transfixed her gaze upon him. "Doktor Rayford Stokes—ist er jetzt hier?"

"Ja, im Biergarten ..."

"Vielen, vielen Dank...Sie werden nicht an mich erinnern, nachdem ich weg bin."

"Nein, ich werde mich nicht erinnern, Sie," he smiled at her wistfully as she disappeared.

Tara found Bill standing at the entrance door. "Well, that speed-read through the German dictionary worked like a charm...he's in the beer garden right now."

"After you, love..."


	70. Tinker Bell Weeps

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 70 Tinker Bell Weeps

Somehow Sookie made it to Thursday without tearing her hair out.

"Sookie!" called Lafayette from the kitchen—it was the third time and he still had not been able to rouse her out of her zombie state. "Sookie, damn it, princess, your burgers are about to jump off the fuckin' plate and head back to the farm!"

"Here, I got 'em," said Holly as she grabbed the order and to take it to the table where it belonged.

"Hey, boss, you're not supposed to..."

"Hush up, Lafayette—I don't know what's wrong with her either, but believe me when I say I'm on it..."

"Okay, fuck me..." he grumbled.

She gave him a sympathetic look and took off. On the way back from the table she grabbed Sookie by the arm and led her to the office and closed the door firmly behind them once they were inside.

"Alright, Sookie—what the hell is going on with you? Are you still mooning about over Eric?"

"No," Sookie lied.

"Well, are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Holly, I'm always in some kind of trouble, you know that," Sookie smiled at her sadly.

"And whatever it is you can't tell me, right?"

"Right," Sookie allowed herself that small admission.

"Well, I hate to say it, but you've been about as useful today as a trap door on a canoe; lunch time rush is about to start and you clearly aren't up for it. You need to just go on home, honey. I pray to the Goddess that whatever it is that's troubling you resolves itself real soon and in the best way possible. And if you do change your mind about discussing it with anyone, please know that I'm here for you."

"Thank you, Holly, that means a lot to me."

"Go on, now; we've got plenty of coverage here. I'm going to call you in the morning and if you sound the slightest bit as worried as you look right now you'll just have to keep your tail home another day."

"Thanks again, Holly. I think I'll be better tomorrow. I sure hope so, anyway."

"Me, too. Bye, honey and try to get yourself some rest."

"I will."

Sookie collected her things and left by the back door. When she got to her car she found Alcide waiting for her. She groaned inwardly.

"I called earlier to see if you were working today—leaving early, huh?" he said gruffly as he leaned against her car door with his arms crossed.

"Alcide, please move, I just want to go home," she said tiredly.

"You know, the last time I saw you you were being drug out of this place kicking and screaming by a gang of vampires. Now here you are, like nothing ever happened, just calm as you please," he began irritatedly.

"Alcide..."

"I've been worried sick about you, Sookie! You could have picked up the phone and at least given me a call to let me know you were alright," he yelled at her.

"Well, maybe I would have if I was alright—but I'm not alright, Alcide. Not in any way, shape or form!" she yelled back at him.

"Just tell me what's going on, for Christ's sake!" he was up off the car and towering above her as his gaze burned in to hers.

"I can't!" Sookie stamped her foot in frustration and ordered herself inwardly not to cry. "Look, I'm not going to stand out here and continue to shout at each other all day. I want to go home and you really need to get out of my way so that I can do that."

He came closer to her but she held out her hand.

"Don't you fucking touch me, Alcide Herveaux," she warned him as she took a step back.

"Or what?" he came right back at her as he pushed her hand away.

"How dare you," she said, flustered and shocked again by his roughness.

"Shut up." He grabbed her roughly by her wrists and led her to his truck.

"Alcide, stop this...now..."

"Get in—I said get in," he grabbed her by her waist and lifted her up into his truck. "I know you're in trouble and you're going to tell me everything, God damnit, before this day is over. Whatever else I am or am not to you, Sookie Stackhouse, I'm still your friend—don't you fucking move," he ordered her as he closed the door. He ran to the driver's side and jumped in then sped off with her headed for his house.

* * *

><p>An elderly African-American man sat at a table drinking his favorite Bischoff Premium Pilsener as he marveled at the evening. He loved the skunky aroma and rough finish of the brew and it was his custom to end every evening before bed with at least one bottle, two if he'd any particular success in the lab at work. He was content to sit and think of nothing except the smell of the crisp night air and his bed, already turned down and waiting for him.<p>

"Dr. Stokes? Dr. Rayford Stokes?" came a bright, cheerful female voice from behind him.

The doctor turned to see a man and a woman standing together, quite a handsome couple, in fact. He would have taken them for a pair of tourists he abhorred most—those who dressed like twins and stomped about Europe giving Americans a bad name with their crude behavior and lack of class. From their easy comfortable attire of blue jeans and casual cobalt-gray t-shirts, down to their fine leather Harley Davidson riding boots they looked crude and out of place against the tranquil, quaint backdrop of the lovely beer garden. His eyes adjusted to the pallor of their skin and, though it was harder to tell right off about the lovely African-American woman, he could see that they were both vampires.

Bill and Tara stood looking down at the well-dressed doctor, both of them with pleasant smiles upon their faces taking note of his relaxed demeanor and regal air. To Tara he looked like a man for whom the phrase "stick up the ass" was coined for; Bill could see that he was a man very comforted by and comfortable with the rigors of military life.

"Yes," came his deep baritone, "I am Dr. Rayford Stokes. What do you want?" he asked them ungraciously. Bill and Tara shared a knowing look and a smile before Bill spoke to him.

"Clearly you find our presence an intrusion, but I would like you to know that I could give less than a damn, Dr. Stokes," Bill told him, his pleasant smile still upon his face. He sat down uninvited and then with his vampire speed grabbed the old gentleman by his shirt collar. "Good, I see that I have your full attention..."

"You have my full attention, yes," the man mumbled at him.

"You have been taking meetings with a certain gentleman these past few months, here at this very hotel. Who is he?"

"I only know him by his first name: Claude." Bill bristled.

"What has been his business with you?"

"I and a very select team are working on an additive that will make Tru Blood more appealing to mainstreaming vampires."

"An additive?" Bill looked briefly at Tara, who's confusion was as apparent as his own. He looked quickly back at the doctor.

"Yes."

"Made of what, exactly?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he smiled wanly. "Or maybe you would..."

"Try me," Bill hissed at him.

"Fairy blood."

Bill recoiled. "Who is providing the fairy blood?"

"Why, Claude, of course. Not his own. He brings samples every month for us to work with."

"'Us'? Who is 'us'?"

"Well, let's just say that we have acquired Louis Pasteur. We have him detained at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center—very top secret, as you can imagine."

"Why is a fairy working with the government to help produce new improved Tru Blood? How many fairies would that involve?" asked Tara of Bill, totally bewildered.

"For now, less than you think," the doctor answered her. "At least until it's perfected and goes into mass production."

"When are you scheduled to meet Claude again, Dr. Stokes?"

"He was just here two days ago. He won't be back again until next month when he'll have more samples for us."

"How does he get in touch with you?"

"Our meetings are standing engagements. I don't know how to get in touch with him."

"You never correspond by phone or the internet?"

"Never. No paper or electronic trail whatsoever."

"You will finish your beer, doctor. You have never seen us and will not remember our meeting."

"No, I've never seen either of you and I will not remember this meeting."

Bill and Tara disappeared.

"What the Holy fuck, Bill?" Tara asked him when they stopped at a gasthaus in K-town. "Claude helping to create a tastier new Tru Blood? Isn't that, like, Fairy treason?"

"One would think."

"How did you know to come here, anyway?" she said as she took in the hip surroundings of the urban district inhabited by a fair contingent Americans bustling about.

"Before Nan found me in London my playground included this city and Amsterdam. I was with Diane Hardwicke at the time. The late seventies and eighties—non-stop party and fantastic eats."

"Diane Hardwicke?"

"I do not think that you ever had the pleasure. Remember the three vampires that were killed when their nest was set fire to?"

"Vaguely. I was going through it with my mother at the time, just before Maryann came to town."

"Yes."

"Wait a minute...Diane Hardwicke—of Malcolm, Liam and Diane?"

"Yes."

"Sookie told me about them—Diane was a sister."

"Yes, and?" Bill smiled at her.

"So, you've always been an equal opportunity lover, huh? Check you out..."

"Stop that. That's how I know about this place, that's all."

"Wild Bill in the eighties—wish I could have been there to see that. Okay, so what now? How in the world are we going to find Claude?"

"The only possible way—we'll have to see if Sookie can make contact with him."

"Shit."

"We should head back to Minsk."

"Wait—Louis Pasteur—he said Louis Pasteur..."

"Yes, one of us."

"Fuck me. Shouldn't we spring him?"

"We will, but we really need to get to Claude first. Come on, let's go."

Bill and Tara headed out into the night and as they stepped onto the sidewalk Bill was broadsided by what felt like a Mack truck and disappeared from Tara's sight. She heard the sound of faint laughter but saw no one.

"You are not welcomed here, interloper."

"Come out, you fuck!" she called out to the night air. Human passersby on the street looked at her as if she was crazy but she paid them no mind. She saw a blur whiz past her and followed it until she found that she was somewhere in the woods. She saw Bill then, silvered against a tree.

"You are involving yourselves in matters that do not concern you, Miss Thornton. Yes, we know who you are..." said a tall male vampire who suddenly stepped into her view. His whole manner was smug and condescending and she was pretty sure that he was an Ancient.

"Oh, poor thing...we've caught you without your silver bullet-loaded weaponry, I see. To do?"

"Just come closer. Please." The very tone of Tara's voice was a challenge. The vampire approached her, greatly amused.

"What? Need a better look at me before you die?"

"No..." Tara assumed fighting stance and delivered a clean knife-hand thrust to her enemy's chest with warp speed and ripped out his heart. "You needed a better look at me, fucker," she said to the obliterated soul liberally saturating the soil and thick carpet of leaves.

"Tara, behind you!" Bill called out to her. She ducked the second attacker and rushed over to Bill.

"Sorry..." she said as she ripped the silver chain from around his body; he doubled over in temporary pain; the silver was burning Tara's hand but she grabbed it in the middle and wielded the ends like nunchaku then sent it sailing through the air where it finally found anchor around her other surprised attacker's neck. She rushed him and decapitated him with it then ripped out his heart, as well and then the rest of his body exploded.

"Is that it? Are there any more?" she asked desperately.

"I don't think so. Come to me..."

She did so, maintaining a crouching pose as she approached him walking backwards.

"Your hands..." he said when she reached him and knelt next to him.

"They'll heal. Guess I could stand a hot shower, huh?" she joked as she wiped assorted vampire innards off of her. "Are you alright?"

"Getting better by the minute—we must get to Frankfurt, come on, love..." he said as he rose and pulled her up with him; he retrieved his cell phone and powered it on. "Get the plane ready—we'll be there in thirty minutes..." he barked into it. He gave her look of pure unadulterated love and then they both took off.


	71. At Your Best

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 71 At Your Best

When Bill and Tara arrived back in Minsk they were met by Shashen'Ka and Victor at the door of Tabah Tosti. They had several hours to go before sunrise.

"That was quick..." said Shashen'Ka walking briskly as she escorted them back to her office. "You had some success?"

"We almost got killed—well, I almost did," Bill smirked to himself. "Thanks to you and Victor the two Ancients who attacked us never stood a chance against Tara—she saved me. I wish you could have been there to see her," he looked at Tara walking beside him and shook his head in awe of her.

Tara gave him a humble smile, still in shock herself over their close call.

"I can't wait to hear all about it!" Shashen'Ka placed a reassuring arm around Tara's shoulder as they continued through the club.

* * *

><p>"Sookie, I just had no idea..." Alcide said sadly.<p>

"That right there is exactly what I didn't want, Alcide..." she said as she nestled in deeper to her side of his couch.

"What?" he asked, looking totally confused.

"Your pity," she said as she looked down and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Sookie, are you kiddin' me? I don't pity you, not at all. You've been through so much—it's amazing to think about everything you've been through these past few years..." he began incredulously.

"You're telling me."

"You're about the strongest woman I know. I don't pity you at all—I admire the hell out of you—you have to know that. I just wish that you'd felt that you could have told me all of this sooner."

"I guess I'm lucky you haven't booted my ass out of here. All I've ever been to you is trouble. And I remember when Sam finally told me he was a Shapeshifter and how awful I was to him—such a hypocrite, acting like I was so offended that he wasn't human. I was really hurt because he didn't open up to me sooner. My reaction hurt him badly, especially because I was different and should have been so much more understanding, even though I didn't even really know then exactly what I was. And now here I've done the same thing to you. I'm so sorry, Alcide."

"Don't apologize, Sookie. You always admitted to be being different and you didn't hide it. People like me and Sam have whole communities of support and still we have to hide. Bottom line? It's always difficult opening up to others about our truest selves. I understand completely. I'm sure Sam did, as well. Don't go getting' all bent out of shape when I tell you this, okay?"

"Tell me what?"

"That in spite of it all I love you, Sookie—and I'm not gonna lie and tell you that it's in some bullshit way like a sister. I'm a big boy and I can handle the fact that you're not in love with me, but you're just gonna have to get used to the fact that I will always be here for you no matter what."

"I love you, too, Alcide. I'm sorry..."

"Don't—I get it. I will admit—if I have to lose you to another man I just wish he wasn't some damn fanger that would like to drain you dry just for the high, but..."

"Stop that. Neither Bill or Eric would ever do that to me and you know it."

"Yeah, but this Valerius fucker would, according to what you've told me. And so would countless other vampires who only view you as food."

"Yeah, but the Authority ordered all vampires to keep their hands off of me..."

"The Authority is fucked, Sookie; it sounds to me like Valerius is running the show."

"No, according to Eric, well, there's a lot of politics and in-fighting going on, yes—but this guy can be taken out. He and Bill and a whole lot of others are fighting to restore order right now as we speak," she tried to convince him. Alcide was not.

"I wish I could believe that's what will eventually happen. I can't believe Eric didn't come to me and let me know that you needed protection," he said disgustedly.

"Well, he knows how you feel about me...I think he thought it might have been awkward..." she offered. "More than that, he's really trying to keep people safe. I've endangered you just telling you about Valerius."

"I don't care about that and you know it—he should know that by now, as well. So how are you, really, aside from all of this fucking vampire drama?"

"You mean..."

"Yeah, your meetings."

"Well, I've only been to two. But I know it's helping. You know, when you came back after my party I thought I could feel like that again—you sure made me feel like I could feel like that again. But when it came right down to it, I...I...damn it."

"What?" he asked her softly.

"I wasn't ready at all. I'm still not ready. I haven't even been able to..." she sighed heavily and looked away, "with Eric..." she said with difficulty.

"That's no crime, Sookie; it's gonna take time. He hasn't been giving you a problem about that, has he?" Alcide's hackles were visibly raised.

"Oh no, no, Alcide, he's been nothing but completely understanding," she frantically assured him. He glared at her but Sookie knew that the menace in his eyes was meant for Eric. "Really...he's been completely supportive."

"Yeah, he better be," was all that Alcide could manage to say then.

They sat silently for a while.

"Sookie, in your gut do you really trust Nora?" he asked her quietly. Sookie looked at him with real confusion in her eyes.

"I just really don't know, Alcide. I mean, I'm still alive, and I know Valerius wants me dead. You've seen her—she's a bitch from hell—she's fucking radical. I guess she would have to be to deal with someone like Valerius. But it sure seemed like she enjoyed pushing me around. If she didn't then she deserves, like, every Academy award on the planet."

"Yeah, she fucked me up pretty good. But I did get the feeling that she was holding back," he said as he thought back on that night in Sam's office and placed his hand gingerly upon his bandaged ribcage.

"I mean, they must have some great bond because Eric hasn't seen her in, like, over two-hundred years or something..."

"Five minutes, to a vampire as old as he is..."

Sookie surprised herself by letting a chuckle escape her.

"Well, you are still alive, thank God. I hope that she really can be trusted, but I'm gonna do what I always do where vamps are concerned."

"Yeah, what's that?" she smiled at him.

"Anticipate the best but prepare for the worst."

Sookie's smiled faded.

* * *

><p>"Claude? Wants to improve the taste of Tru Blood? With the essence of other fairies?" The voice registering great shock belonged to Victor.<p>

"That is what Dr. Stokes told us. We could not believe it either," said Bill.

"And they have Pasteur?" asked Shashen'Ka as she shook her head in deep thought. "But then again, who better—Tru Blood was his baby to begin with."

"We are going to need reinforcements, Shashen'Ka. I am not sure if the Ancients we encountered in K-town were just protecting their territory or if they could possibly be affiliated with Claude. We sensed absolutely no other vampires at the airport, none at the hotel. But these two—their power emanated from them like a sheer force of energy and they knew who we were."

"I'm in," Shashen'Ka smiled at her friends. Victor nodded his assent. "So, what do we do next?" she asked them.

"I need to get in touch with Eric. Stokes said that he would not see Claude again until next month. We need to see if Sookie can contact Claude—do whatever we have to do so that we can question him."

"That should be easy to do—I had a call earlier this evening from Vitaly—Julian Cromwell called for Eric; he's gone to ground at Cromwell's for the day. I can arrange a for an operative to be at Cromwell's at sunset and arrange for a secure connection so that you can report this latest development to him. In the meantime, are either of you hungry? Can I get you anything before we go to ground?" Shashen'Ka offered.

Bill looked to Tara.

"I'm good, but thanks," she said.

"Same for me, thank you, Shashen'Ka."

"Very well, I shall excuse myself. I'm sure the two of you would like to retire to the privacy of your room. Have a good morning's sleep and we'll see you at sunset."

"Good morning to you both," said Bill as he and Tara rose to go.

Shashen'Ka rose from her seat behind her desk, went to Tara and gave her a warm hug. "Fantastic job, comrade. Good work, both of you" she said as she held her then at arm's length and smiled at them both. Victor gave Tara a nod of approval as well and then went to Bill and gave him strong pat on the back.

When they were gone Shashen'Ka returned to her desk, picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Andrej, good news—yes they came back just a while ago. You won't believe me when I tell you...really..." she cooed in to the phone.

Victor waited patiently for her to finish her call.

"Alright, Victor—I know that look on your face. What is it?" she asked him when she hung up with Andrej.

"Must I spend eternity watching you flirt with everyone?" he asked her irritatedly.

"What are you talking about? Andrej? You know he has eyes only for other men."

"No, not Andrej. Tara."

"But Victor, she is fascinating! Strong, beautiful—so humble and completely unassuming—is she not?"

"She is. And quite spoken for."

"I know that. I would never..."

"At least you admit your attraction to her."

"Of course I do. It is not an attraction I have any intention of acting upon. Calm yourself."

"I'm quite tired of calming myself, _Tabah,_" he said angrily as he approached her.

"Don't call me that, you know it pains me."

"Then let me give it new meaning for you," he suggested firmly.

"Must we have this conversation again, Victor? We work together..." she began delicately.

"Join me...lie with me this morning, Tabah," he said as he took possession of her small frame; he started a caress that began with his fingers at her shoulder then traced her outer arm before they dropped to the curve of her waist and continued onward down the side of her generous hips where they lingered finally just above her knee.

"Victor..." she murmured to him as she found herself getting caught up in his intoxicating desire, "we've done so well for five hundred years—anything more will ruin our perfect relationship."

"Tabah..." he whispered at her as his lips drew dangerously closer to hers, "I'm ready to ruin our 'perfect' relationship."

* * *

><p>"Well, I guess I should be getting on home. Thank you, Alcide, for everything. I really did need to talk—I thought I was going to lose my mind."<p>

"You know your secret is safe with me. I should come and stay with you..." he said, thinking out loud.

"No! I would love it, but it would be suspicious..."

"But if you're so sure you're being watched then whoever's watching can figure out what we talked about."

"Not necessarily. If I leave here now it could have just been a conversation we had about my break-up with Eric. If you come stay with me it'll be evident that you're there for my protection which means I definitely blabbed," she reasoned. "Hey? Can Werewolves be glamoured?"

"No."

"Thank God. If we just leave it like this and Nora does want to question you she won't be able to prove you're lying about anything."

"I would still feel better if I was closer at hand."

"I'll be alright."

"So you say."

"C'mon, Alcide, we need to work with a lot more positivity than that. C'mon...drop me back at my car so that I can get on home. As soon as I hear anything I'll be on the phone to you faster than two shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Alright, alright...let's go."

"Alcide?"

"What?"

"You look totally angry and all in major defensive mode—in case anybody really is watching us? Try to look heartbroken or something, instead. We've got to keep up this act."

"Yeah? I can do that—it won't be acting, though," he assured her he looked down into her eyes with a sad little smile on his face.

When Sookie walked out of his house, her face crumbling and near tears, she wasn't acting, either.


	72. By Any Means

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 72 By Any Means

It had been a quiet ride back to Merlotte's. When they got there they could see that business was brisk from all of the cars parked in the lot.

"I feel guilty about going home," Sookie said as she got out of Alcide's truck.

"Don't. Go on home and get some rest. I'm gonna hang out for a while," Alcide told her as he walked her to her car.

"Bye, Alcide," she said as she finally got into it.

"Bye, Sookie," he closed her door and then watched her pull out and drive off. He turned and went into the restaurant and headed straight to the bar.

"Hey, Alcide!" Sam greeted him with a big smile.

"Hey Sam."

"What can I get ya?"

"Double shot of Jack..." he said as he took a seat.

* * *

><p>When Sookie got home she found the house quiet and empty. She went to the fridge to grab a cold can of soda and found a post-it note upon it left by Hadley.<p>

_Hi Sookie,_

_Going to Jason's after I pick up Hunter from school—Mrs. Fortenberry had a med appt she couldn't reschedule—am cooking dinner tonight—be ready by 7...come and get it!_

_ xoxoxo Hadley_

Sookie smiled to herself and finished her soda then left the kitchen. She was mentally exhausted but unburdening herself to Alcide really had made her feel much better. She just wished that she wasn't such a constant problem to him. She prayed that one day he would find a woman worthy of him, that could give him the love he deserved. As she climbed the stairs up and to her bedroom her bones seemed to be melting into liquid with each step. When she reached her bed she collapsed into and within moments had fallen into a very deep sleep.

"_Sookie? Sookie? Wake up—I must talk to you..."_

Sookie stirred upon the bed but found it impossible to wake up from her dream.

"_You are not dreaming...Sookie, wake up, we must speak..."_

"Who are you? What do you want?" she murmured softly as she stretched in her sleep.

"_No, with your mind—do not speak aloud...wake up, please, Sookie."_

Sookie's eyes shot open then and she grabbed at her bed as if she were falling. She sat up then and looked at her bedside clock—it was five-thirty—she had only been asleep about an hour and a half. She flopped back down upon the bed wide awake but wanting only to lie in it forever or until she felt truly rested—whichever came first.

"_Sookie..."_

She raised up again, unfamiliar and angered with the stranger in her head.

"_Who the hell are you? What do you want?"_

"_I am Claude, your godmother's brother. Your late godmother."_

"_What the hell?"_

"_Sookie, your friends have come calling for me in Germany. They think that they have the some of the story on me, but they are missing so many important pieces of the puzzle. I am sure that they will be contacting you soon, but I must explain to you what is at stake with Octavian Valerius."_

"_Then start explaining."_

"_Don't be angry. You surely know by now that Octavian wants the world as it used to be; one where vampires were free to do as they pleased cloaked in secrecy and impunity. He is actively enjoined with other vampires who want to make that world a reality again. I am already trying to stop him. My idea is an unconventional one, but it will work—if I am left alone to implement it."_

"_I'm listening, Claude."_

"_I know that you have an affinity for vampires and I know very well why. Once, many, many hundreds of years ago I had a vampire lover, as well. He treated me and my siblings with great love and honor, gave us everything we desired; we lived an idyllic life. He loved me enough that he wanted to bestow the Dark Gift upon me, make me his equal and undisputed companion. It was a desire worthy of the True Death, Sookie, for no vampire—then, now or ever—is to make a fairy or any other supernatural, into a hybrid vampire being."_

Sookie's worried thoughts went immediately to Tara.

"_Witches are human, Sookie, and therefore, somewhat safe." _

Sookie breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"_My lover was to be killed and his vampire brethren came one morning, just before sunrise to do just that. They took me and my siblings hostage and chained my lover in back of his villa to die in the burning rays of the morning sun. But he had fed on us all, you see, alternating between the three of us so as not to drain us to weakness and death; he was already over two thousand years old by then and didn't need as much blood as younger vampires, anyway. Though we were bothering no one and being more than discreet the other vampires were jealous. By the time they learned of his intent to turn me they were ready for blood—all of our blood. _

_"But we survived, my siblings and I. Even though our attackers were Ancients as well, we had the burgeoning rays of the sun in our favor and a rage to live—we blasted them with our telekinetic power and escaped for our first time to Faery and the reprimanding glare of Queen Mab. She was never a fan of mine. Claudine and Claudette adapted easily and well to the rules imposed on fae inhabiting Faery; I suppose I always chafed at Queen Mab's attitude that vampires could never want anything more from us than the intoxicating and bewitching effect of our blood. I knew differently. And on Earth my lover knew differently, as well. He was by no means a saintly being; he had done horrible things during his human life as well as his preternatural one. He told me everything about himself, and what a story it was, Sookie. I went into my relationship with him very much with open eyes. How we met is a story for another day, but I met him first; it was quite some time and after his unburdening that I was able to convince my sisters to join us. You have to understand that many of the fae had already left Earth for the safety of Faery, so it was no small feat on my behalf to get my sisters to agree to be with us. But he was always respectful and careful with us all; never once did he drink from us without our consent, even the first time he had me; he was never a glutton; I had him and he allowed my sisters their lovers and every desire—it was one of their lovers who betrayed us to the other vampires, an opportunist seeking eternal life, himself. My lover found him easily and killed him. _

"_Before the horror of our separation, Sookie, he was a changed vampire; our life with him brought back his humanity, do you see? We could have all lived like that forever. His own kind robbed him of it, once and for all, one beautiful April morning."_

"_You still love him," _Sookie accused him.

"_Yes, I do. Enough to try and stop his current madness. If I am left alone I know that I can do it."_

"_Wait a minute, are you telling me that your lover was..."_

"_Yes—Octavian Valerius."_

"Get the fuck out..." Sookie said out loud.

"_Sookie, please, telepathically..."_

_"Okay, I'm sorry, but this is just too fucking ridiculous to believe."_

"_Please try and stay with me. I've been working on this for quite some time now. As I said before, Queen Mab and I were never on the best of terms. When Claudine brought you to Faery I was already working on my plan; Octavian has been setting his political chess pieces into play ever since Tru Blood became a reality and vampires started coming out of the coffin. Much of this could have been avoided if Louis Pasteur had just listened to me when he first started experimenting with his synthetic blood. I tried..."_

"_Wait a minute—Louis Pasteur? What are you freaking saying?"_

"_He's a vampire, Sookie. Please try to stay focused and hear me out..."_

"_If I wasn't already sitting down..."_

"_Sookie..."_

She snapped back to his attention.

"_I tried to tell him to make the blood taste even remotely desirable. He, of course, was simply too concerned with synthesizing it at all. When the Japanese stepped in it was all about chemistry, imitating the blood types. The blood types don't matter a damn to vampires, it is simply the taste of the living blood, period. That cannot be recreated, which they all found out eventually. So Tru Blood is nourishing, but aesthetically unpleasing to vampires on every level; the taste; the smell; the fact that it is absolutely horrible warmed up and only slightly less sickening cold; Tru Blood is dead, like canned vegetables compared to those just plucked from earth. The only hope for Tru Blood would have been to at least make it taste like something palatable. My idea was to infuse trace amounts of fairy blood in it but no one wanted to hear me. He wouldn't even take my idea to the Authority and I could not get to them myself. And of course, I dared not mention my idea to Queen Mab. _

_"Our race was depleted and I did propose to her the harvesting of humans to replenish us. My real plan was to harvest the humans and work with the hybrid blood to see if it had the same effect upon the vampirres as pure fairy blood. It did. I was going to then recruit volunteers from the hybrids to provide their blood, either for successful synthesization or donoring, hoping that synthesization would work first and foremost. It didn't. By the time you came to Faery Queen Mab had only just discovered my true plans and what she viewed as my betrayal. She ceased any further harvesting of humans that very day; there were not many of us but she wanted to keep the race pure. That was why she closed off the portal, Sookie. She would have let you stay because you were a hybrid not born of my treachery—she liked_ _you and wanted to protect you. I helped you escape back to your home where I thought you most wanted to be. But I was able to open another portal and I brought some volunteers with me, whom I absolutely lied to, I will admit. I lost some of them in the jump and a few are scattered about that I must collect."_

"_Claude, I hate to tell you, but you're just as crazy as he is."_

"_I promise you, Sookie, I am not. I'm trying to save the humans."_

"_But your logistics are all wrong—how many vampires on Earth are there? And you've come back with a handful of hybrids...how in the world can you supply enough fairy blood to meet the demand, especially if all vampires magically just said one day 'Cool, New Fairy Tru Blood'-screw humans and let's get those bottling plants in Brazil on line'...then what? Have you even truly thought this thing through? That's not even to say anything of finding enough fairies—hybrid or otherwise—willing to participate in such a massive endeavor. I just don't think that it's possible. Maybe if you'd been able to synthesize it, but you said yourself that it didn't work. It's all madness, Claude."_

"_I know the odds are not good..."_

"_Not good? They're fucking impossible."_

"_So you are against me, as well, then."_

"_I'm against anything that sounds as stupid as this, Claude."_

"_Really? And you have a better idea?" he asked her, more than incensed._

"_Claude, you love him, still; you're blinded by that love and it compels you try anything to save him. The only thing that can save him is if you have enough power in you, enough influence, to bring back his humanity. That's the only thing that will save any of us from his heinous plans. If you can't do that then he must be stopped."_

"_And by that you mean destroyed."_

"_I hate to see anyone killed, Claude. My life and how I've lived it these past few years may seem contrary to what I'm saying, but I reserve my desire for people to die, human or otherwise, for those so horrible, so criminal, so callously cruel and abominable; so uncaring about the lives of others, so out for their own crazy, despotic gain—for these people, I feel that death is almost too good for them. But they can not be allowed to exist and be so inherently evil, casting that evil upon innocents."_

"_He is not inherently evil."_

"_Then appeal to him, Claude. See if you can get him to stop. If you can't do it surely you understand that someone has to, by whatever means necessary."_

There was nothing but dead silence then as Sookie realized Claude was gone.


	73. A FunnyThingHappenedOnTheWay ToThe Fairy

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 73 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Fairy

Promptly at sundown Thursday evening there was knock on Julian Cromwell's door. He opened it to find a very distinguished vampire gentleman standing there.

"Good evening, Mr. Cromwell. Vitaly Motors has sent the car you requested for your scheduled test drive, sir," the other vampire said as he pointed to a walnut Bentley Mulsanne parked in the drive.

"Very good, thank you." Julian locked his door, followed the vampire to the car, got behind the wheel and drove off. Inside the house, behind the door, Eric waited.

Julian returned twenty minutes later and watched as the Bentley rolled gracefully away. He went inside of his house to find Eric pacing the floor.

"Well?" he said as he looked at his friend after he'd closed and locked the door behind him.

"You're not going to believe it," said Julian as he led Eric back to his own cubby.

* * *

><p>Trey couldn't believe he was living in a fucking cave. Sabeen had said that she had a surprise for them and she absolutely was not lying.<p>

* * *

><p>When they had arrived with her the previous Sunday Trey and Sarah had absolutely no idea where they were.<p>

"This is Sonoma County, young ones—California wine country." She led them then past a dilapidated building and a dead vineyard over-grown with weeds. This is an old abandoned winery, privately owned through a vastly complicated and confusing stock cooperative which in actuality is me, of course. No tourists come here even though there are many functioning wineries in the area very nearby. It is common here for them offer tours of their wine caves—but my cave is my home. One of my homes, anyway. Follow me..."

They came upon a rusty iron grated door in the side of a cave wall; Sabeen untied the corded leather necklace around her neck and used the keys hanging upon it—one to unlock the padlock and the other on the door itself. After they entered she locked the door and padlocked it from the inside.

"The cave is excavated in the usual inverted horseshoe shape and the soft rock walls are all expertly water-proofed..." she explained as she ushered them in and then led them down stone steps. Adorned with copper candle sconces descending down one wall and candles of all types set upon the low step-stone retaining wall descending aside the steps below the other, the passageway was awash in an ethereal golden glow. "This practice is quite ancient—very common in my day, when Romans used abandoned quarries and catacombs as aging caves for their wine. Very effective and cost efficient. The practice experienced a quite a comeback here in the Seventies. The majority of tourist traffic here occurs in winter, when the horrid heat of summer is past and snow bunnies, would-be connoisseurs and wine-tasters are crowding the ski slopes—which makes for an excellent dining experience, let me tell you," she smiled as she looked back at them.

The passageway led to a main living space where an exquisite Italian couch of blue leather, shaped in an otherworldly style of fluid and expressive curves reminiscent of a boomerang, sat in the middle of the room; its single shape contained the back, the seating and armrests, as if sculpted from a single block, its footrest integrated perfectly with the form of the sofa. The rest of the room was adorned by impossibly geometric-shaped textured graphite bookcases hosting a vast array of books, music CD's, DVD's and strange knick knacks and art pieces. All of the lighting int the room was recessed and quite ambient and the sparse furnishings were somehow warm and inviting but Trey still felt like he was in a prison. The furnishings were sparse all around; the cubbies that Sabeen led him and Sarah to were part of a labyrinth-styled system of cellars that veered off from the main entrance; in each was a simple platform bed and an antiqued mirrored armoire with a lone, odd, oblong-shaped fluorescent tube hanging from the middle of the ceiling.

"I see that you find the layout here rather claustrophobic, Trey," Sabeen smiled at him warmly.

"Uh, yeah...kinda—no disrespect, Sabeen," he told her honestly.

"Quite understandable. Sarah, what do you think? And I do find honesty quite refreshing."

"I like it. I know all humans couldn't live this way but for us...I had no idea such places existed...it's amazing."

"One thing I greatly enjoy is that I can be up in the day time and such a location reduces the bleeds to quite a tolerable level."

"The 'bleeds'?" asked Sarah with a confused look on her face.

"I'm sure Nan told you—or maybe she didn't have time to get it all in..." Sabeen deduced. "The bleeds, children, are what happen when you find yourself awake during the day and are confined in a space where absolutely no sunlight can penetrate—our specially appointed vampire hotels, for instance, or any room of any structure where the sun does not reach, are good examples. You will bleed from your eyes, your ears and your nose within several hours of sunrise and become weaker and weaker until you replenish yourself by going to ground. You must have a bit of age on you to even remotely be capable of staying awake during the day, however; that's why it is so important for fledglings like yourselves to never take chances and always be very near where you are to go to ground before sunrise. The minutes before sunrise are one of the most vulnerable points for young vampires; the breach of your resting place during the day is one for every vampire. Never forget that," she cautioned them.

"Sabeen, thank you so much for coming for us and offering us your hospitality," Sarah said then.

"How long do we have to stay here?" asked Trey abruptly.

"Trey!" Sarah shot him a scolding glance that mirrored her tone.

"It's alright. You've both been through so much and still have so much more to learn. The Authority ordered you both to remain in Nan's care for a year. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for at least that long, Trey," she told him firmly.

"I don't mean to sound unappreciative, Sabeen," he tried to explain.

"It is not my intent to imprison you here, Trey; you are both free to explore during the night and hunt on occasion as long as you don't kill any humans and only because there are still things you both need to learn—Tru Blood must still be your primary source of nourishment as per our edict.

"You have to know that the situation that brought about the demise of your Maker is escalating, children, and I fear that it's going to get much worse before it gets better. This is the safest location for me to house you in, at least for the next coming weeks. The main building we passed on the way here looks like a ruin but there is a basement cubby equipped with the modern accoutrements and space you are most certainly pining for; however, you must be more than discreet in your comings and goings—this place is off limits but it doesn't prevent the occasional trespasser from nosing about or the local authorities from passing through on routine security checks. If it's any consolation, trespassers may be eaten."

Sarah and Trey both chuckled lightly.

"Good, that's better—I like smiles. Both of you, please choose your cubbies and then let's go out—there's still time for me to show you what there is of the town before sunrise, yes?"

"Cool. Thanks, Sabeen," said Trey then, very much soothed by her warm demeanor and kind smile.

"That sounds great—thank you so much, Sabeen," said Sarah.

Trey and Sarah chose their cubbies and then they all whisked out into the night where Sabeen led them to the town plaza.

* * *

><p>That had been four nights ago and Trey was still feeling claustrophobic. He never uttered another word or hint of his discontent, but in the confines of his cubby he felt like a caged animal and paced his room like one, as well. That night Sabeen had ordered them to dine on Tru Blood and stay in their cubbies until she came for them. After several hours Trey could take no more solitude and slipped out of his room to head for Sarah's. As he quietly opened his door he could hear Sabeen's faint voice talking to another—a woman. He tipped quietly down his passageway so that he could hear better.<p>

"You are supposed to report in each night. Had you done that I would not have had to come here, Sabeen," said the other woman angrily through a thick Italian accent.

"Roma, please spare me your bullshit. I have things well under control here," Sabeen said irritatedly.

"He wants a fucking report phoned in each evening, Sabeen—what part of that do you not fucking understand!" Roma shouted.

"Oh, I understand. I can see how broken up you are over Joseph," Sabeen said sarcastically.

"You know, Sabeen, this task can be reassigned," Roma hissed the threat at her. "All I have to do is go back and give him my negative report and your insolence will be rewarded."

Trey edged closer to the end of the passageway so that he could see something of them as well as hear.

"I am performing my duty perfectly, you sorry little opportunist. You're not old enough to frighten me, Roma, and neither is he. Go back and report _that..._and tell him I said not to send you here to bother me again."

Roma Vicenzo looked as if she wanted to pounce on Sabeen, her hate and rage seeming as tangible as another entity unto itself in the room.

"Please...I want you to..." Sabeen begged her softly through squinted eyes and a confident smile.

Roma grunted in exasperation and disappeared, snuffing out all of the candles in the staircase in her wake.

"Fucking bitch," Sabeen muttered under her breath.

Trey saw her as she raised her arm slowly from her elbow and gave a slow swirling motion of her hand in the direction of the staircase where all of the candles came blazing back to life all at once. He slowly and quietly tried to make his way back down the passageway to his cubby.

"Too late for that, Trey," she said without turning around. "I heard you when you opened the door, dear," she said matter-of-factly.

Trey, standing flat against the wall, closed his eyes tight and mouthed the word "Fuck!".

"I heard that, as well. Come on, now...I see that you and I need to have a private talk," she said as she turned around and waited for him to join her.

* * *

><p>Back at Julian Cromwell's house Eric was more than agitated.<p>

"I must get in touch with Sookie, Julian. It's not safe for me to go to her..."

"Of course not. I'll fly there now, but you know how long the drive back will take..."

"No, don't bring her here. There is somewhere safer—I need a pen and paper..."

Julian retrieved the items for him. Eric wrote down the coordinates of another one of his mine shaft retreats for him.

"I'll meet you both there. Just call her first and make sure she's home," Eric said as he dialed her number on Julian's phone, then handed it to him.

"Hello?"

"Sookie, this is Julian Cromwell—how are you?"

"That's a pretty loaded question, Julian. How are you?"

"I'm well. Sookie, will you be home for the next twenty minutes or so?"

"Well, yes..." her voice was a question.

"Please allow me to come calling? I need to speak with you."

"Well, sure, Julian. It would be great to see you," she told him. Her pleasure was as genuine as her confusion.

"I'm on my way."

"I'll be here."

They hung up.

"Burn this before you leave with her," Eric said of the piece of paper in Julian's hand.

"You burn it, my friend—it's already up here," he said as he smiled and tapped his temple and handed the paper back to Eric. Julian was gone then without another word.

* * *

><p>"Julian! Gracious!" she exclaimed when she found him at her door ten minutes later.<p>

Julian smiled at her but said nothing as he scooped her up and disappeared with her.


	74. Gold Mine

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 74 Gold Mine

"Sookie, are you alright?" asked Julian as he set her down upon the ground fifteen minutes later.

"Traveling like that always takes a little bit of air out of our fair Sookie..." said Eric as he appeared to them suddenly. He strode out of an entrance where the laws of physics looked as if they had taken a vacation and turned the job of managing the broken timbers around and above it over to pure magic.

"Eric! Oh my God, I've been so worried," she said as she ran into his waiting arms. Eric smiled as she buried her face into his chest and hugged him tightly. He kissed the top of her head. "It is nice to be missed..." he told her softly.

"I hate to interrupt," said Julian in a concerned tone, "but is this place safe for her?"

"It has been canary-tested—it will suit our purposes for the brief time we have to talk...follow me..." he instructed them.

Once they were inside Eric got right down to business.

"Sookie, Bill and Tara have had some success on their mission—they've discovered that Claude is working on an additive to make Tru Blood taste better using..."

"Fairy blood. I know," she cut him off.

Julian and Eric both gave her a look of surprise.

"How do you know this?" Eric asked her.

"Claude contacted me this very evening, telepathically. He told me about Tara and Bill and what they found out in Germany—he told me that he and Octavian Valerius were lovers, hundreds and hundreds of years ago..."

"And that the hypocrite lived with Claude and his sisters, enjoying every benefit of them?"

"Yes, and that he wanted to make Claude a vampire, but the other vampires tried to kill him for it."

"Did he explain why he's betrayed his own kind to do such a thing?"

"And what in hell is he really trying to accomplish?" asked Julian then, as completely bewildered as Eric.

"He thinks that he can neutralize Valerius' crusade to end mainstreaming and turn the clock back to the glory days before vampires came out of the coffin. He opened up another portal from Faery with his own power and has come back here with a freakin' handful of hybrid fairies—that he lied to, by the way—for Louis Pasteur to work with to help mass produce Tru Blood that you all will actually like. He's as batshit as Valerius and I told him so—don't you think that's complete bullshit?" Sookie looked from one to the other of them, as the futility in the tone of her voice mirrored the look on her face.

"A noble, if half-baked, endeavor, to be sure," Eric smirked.

"He claims he's trying to save humans, but Claude is still in love with him—seems to me like he's pulling this one out of his ass to try and save Valerius, more than anything else—to me, anyway," Sookie said, unable to feel completely unsympathetic to Claude. "He said that Valerius' humanity was restored when they were together—I told him if he really wanted to help he should see if he still has any influence over Valerius at all and use that to get him stop the madness."

"A nice suggestion, Sookie, but I think Valerius is too far gone for that, now," Julian said very definitely.

"I agree," said Eric with a broad smile.

"What?" asked Sookie, completely confused by Eric's good humor.

"This is good. Like all ridiculous politicians Old Octavian has an embarrassing little skeleton in his closet...he's been a myth lost in antiquity all of this time, and managed quite effectively to disassociate himself from it..."

"I don't understand—he was known during his time with Claude—they knew his name..."

"And a whole village was glamoured; the vampires who came to kill him he destroyed by his own hand—it was far easier to keep your own name and start one's existence anew six hundred years ago, Sookie, especially for a vampire. I don't know how Shashen'Ka gathered the intelligence that she did, but it is more than damning to Valerius now."

"Who?"

"A friend in Belarus," Eric told her simply.

"I'm fucking lost, Eric—how does this help anything? How are we going to stop Octavian Valerius?"

"Ah, _liten krigare_...I do love how you say 'we'..." Eric's voice was a caress that made her whole body blush; he placed another tender, reverent kiss to the top of her head, then took her face into his hands and held her gaze with his smiling one. "Think about it: this vampire—this _Ancient_ vampire—who wants to subjugate humans to his will; wants to feast without compunction or consequence on humans as he sees fit for his race; this ruthless, unforgiving, vicious champion of the truest right of vampires—to be exactly what we are as superior beings..._this_ vampire had a Fae lover—three—that he allowed to let live while he bestowed his love and every luxury upon them; _this_ vampire, who enjoyed every benefit of their company _and their blood._..all to himself, race be damned. All this really demonstrates to the young vampires who make up his constituency is that..."

"He's just another out-of-control crazy Ancient who cannot be trusted..." Julian finished for him.

"I'm afraid you gave Claude the wrong advice, Sookie," Eric said as his smile faded.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Claude is proof, Sookie; tangible evidence that proves the myth to be true and links Valerius unquestionably to it. Valerius absolutely has no more humanity left in him, of that I'm positive. But if Claude actually does go to him to try and appeal to his former lover to stop his campaign against the humans, I truly believe..."

"Valerius will kill him," Sookie half whispered.

"You must contact him, Sookie, warn him to stay away," said Julian desperately.

Sookie's gaze became clouded and faraway as she went inside of her head.

"_Claude? Claude? Damn it, do you hear me? Where are you? Stay away from Valerius, Claude...you know that he's mad and he's hell bent—I'm afraid he'll kill you, Claude...Claude? Please answer me? Claude!"_

Silent tears were streaming down Sookie's face as she shook her head at Eric, who took her into his apologetic embrace.

"We must get you out of here now, Sookie," he said softly.

"I want to come with you," she managed to say in a hoarse whisper.

"As much as I do not want to part that is not a good idea...I've got to get word back to Bill and Tara and then I must make contact with Nora—it is time to do what we must, now."

Julian left the shaft to give them a private moment.

"Eric, when you talk to Nora, well, there's something I have to tell you—please don't be mad at me..."

"Quickly..."

"When Nora came for me she walked in on a moment that was far more innocent than it looked...I was with Alcide and he didn't know the truth about anything so he was just trying to..."

"You don't have to explain, Sookie."

"It gets worse," she said nervously then. Eric raised an eyebrow and waited. "He knows everything now. I was going crazy with worry over you and he was there when Nora and a whole team of her guards drug me out of Sam's office—she threw him against a wall and cracked one of his ribs, for God's sake! For trying to protect me! He came to me to see how I was and I just broke down and told him all of it," she said guiltily as she hung her head.

"Sookie, look at me..." he ordered her sternly. She complied. "It's alright. I know who your heart belongs to," he reassured her. "And I also know Alcide will do anything for you—and for me as well, where it concerns you; I know that he is an ally—a grudging ally, but one nonetheless. When Julian takes you home you call him if you feel the need. I know that you will not hear from me again until Valerius is dead. That is my mission and failure is not an option. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Go home now. Stay on guard—be prepared to fight if you have to before we see each other again—I'm trusting the killer in you with your life—honor her as I do and don't hold back if you need to call upon her, yes?" His tone was firm.

"Yes. I understand."

"I love you, Sookie..."

"I love you, too, Eric..."

"Give me one..." he tapped at his bottom lip with his finger, "right here...". They kissed each other, deeply and hungrily. "Come on...we really must go now..." he said as he took her hand and led her out of the shaft.


	75. History Repeating

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 75 History Repeating

Trey was nervous and absolutely did not know what to expect next. He came out of the passageway and revealed himself to Sabeen.

"Very good. Now, go and get Sarah—she needs to hear this, as well. Go on..."

"Good evening, Sabeen—is everything alright?" Sarah asked her nervously as she entered the room, taking a cue from the stricken look on Trey's face.

"Both of you sit down...we need to get a few things straight." Trey and Sarah sat down. "Your inquisitive sibling..." Sabeen looked pointedly at Trey, "eavesdropped on a conversation I had moments ago with a vampire who represents the one responsible for your Maker's death. The both of you still walk this earth because it is his decision to allow you to do so—at least until he decides otherwise." She settled her gaze upon them both as she watched the information sink into them.

Neither Trey or Sarah could read Sabeen well enough to know if she was on board with their undecided fates or not.

"You have been under the impression that because my name was on Nan's list I was a close acquaintance of some sort—a friend, maybe—correct?"

"Well, yes...the others..." Sarah stammered, "the others were..."

"Most assuredly her comrades, yes," Sabeen cut her off. "I knew Nan, but we were by no means close. It is because of that fact, and others, that my name was on that list; the one who engineered its inclusion is the one who killed her. From the time the Authority chose you both to be the progeny of Nan Flanagan I was selected to perform this very task: to take you both into my custody at her death."

"You're going to kill us..." Sarah stated the fact as she understood it, calmly and with growing anger over Sabeen's cruel ruse. She felt Trey take hold of her hand.

"No, I'm not going to kill you—your Maker's executioner, however, will." Sabeen said finally with a kind smile that belied her chilling declaration.

* * *

><p>As Eric headed off to a destination unknown Julian transported Sookie back home. When she got there Hadley and Hunter were still not back from Jason's house and her house was quiet and lonely.<p>

"Sookie, will you be alright?"

"What choices do I have? Certainly none that I can speak to."

Julian gave her a sympathetic kiss to her warm cheek.

"Don't say anything else, Julian. Thank you—I really appreciate this."

"Anything for you, my dear lady. I must go," he said apologetically.

"I know." _Be safe,_ she thought at him, wishing he could hear her.

"You, too." He smiled at her, more than able to read the meaning in her eyes and then disappeared.

Sookie closed her door and locked it then retrieved her phone and turned it on; she had several messages from Hadley and Alcide. She dialed a number to return her first message.

"Hey Hadley..."

"Sookie? Where have you been? I've been calling and calling..." came her cousin's worried voice.

"I was just asleep, that's all. I turned off the phone and I should have called you first, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. There's still plenty of dinner here—come on over..."

"I'm just so tired, hon...I'm just gonna stay here and catch up on some more sleep and be fresh for tomorrow—I do have an early shift again," she lied; Sookie had no intention of going to work the next day. She knew that she would be just as useless as she had been that day.

"Okay then, you rest up. We'll bring you a plate home."

"Okay, hon, that sounds great—thanks. See you later. Give everybody hugs and kisses for me."

"Will do. Bye Sook."

The two women hung up. Sookie then returned her next message.

"Where in blazes have you been?" Alcide said angrily when he answered.

"Let's go to your place tomorrow..."

Alcide got it immediately—she couldn't really talk. "What about tonight?"

"Where are you?"

"Still at Merlotte's—I threw back a few too many and came out to my truck for a nap."

"My couch is a lot more comfortable than your truck..."

"I'm on my way."

* * *

><p>"So, I guess the motherfucker who's behind this is ready to kill us now? Is that why you've told us all of this? Did you just get your orders from that scary Italian bitch that was just here?" Trey asked her angrily as he stood up from the couch. "And what the fuck was that shit you did with your hand, yo? You got magic power, too?" he asked her indignantly.<p>

"Sit down, Trey, and let me finish," Sabeen ordered him firmly.

"I want the fuck out of here..." he shot back at her defiantly.

"Trey, don't provoke her, please," Sarah begged him as she clawed at his shirt and tried in vain to pull him back down upon the sofa.

Sabeen raised her arm and pointed a finger at him resolutely. "Sit down, Trey."

Trey struggled to disobey her command but felt his all of his limbs betray him completely as he sank back down next to Sarah.

"Did you just glamour me?" he accused her.

"No...surely you were told that we cannot glamour each other or other supernaturals," Sabeen answered him calmly.

"What did you do to me!" he demanded.

Sabeen allowed his outrage as Sarah visibly cringed beside him in fear.

"I am psychokinetic, children—I can move matter with my mind, that's all."

"That's all?" gasped Sarah incredulously. "Can every vampire do that?"

"No. But vampires, and their special individual abilities run the gamut from that, such as my own, to the power of flight; whatever that ability may be becomes increasingly more perfected and powerful with age."

"How old are you?" Sarah asked then.

"I will get to that, presently. I hope you both recognize that if I meant you harm I would have done so by now. I require your full attention—do you both understand?"

"Yes," Sarah said.

"Trey?"

"Yeah, you have my attention, yo," he said with a scowl upon his face.

"I don't know who created this world and I don't care to know; I don't know who the first vampire was that was ever created; I can't explain our science; our mysteries; our history as a race. We just are, vampire, human and every other being alike. I am a part of the universe and that's well and good enough for me. I will remain a part of it as long as I can manage. As far as Ancient vampires go there are far less than there could be, but far more than you imagine.

"In our society age comes with many perks: increased physical ability; the ability to be sustained by less blood for longer periods of time; the ability to remain awake much further into the day as long as we are protected from the direct light of the sun. Unfortunately, age is not always accompanied by wisdom; worse, far too often it comes with mental degradation.

"Imagine the burden of immortality: watching all of those you knew in your human life ultimately die off; watching your own kind, who do not possess your stamina, die off either through violent misfortune or their own will; long years spent watching the world change, for better or worse, from the one you knew in your own time and the extrasensory assault to your own sensibilities as the world does exactly that, even though it's all just so much history repeating. The world of man can always be counted upon to do what they do best—be the catalyst for never-ending chaos and disorder, yearning always for more than they have and more than they need and willing to shed much blood in the process. It would be a glorious day indeed, when despots, human and supernatural alike, learn that the world cannot be ruled; that earth and all of the galaxies in the the universe—were not created for that; when they learn that the world must be left to go on and in its own way..." Sabeen could see her words striking a chord with Trey as his scowl melted and his eyes squinted as if he was trying to see what she was saying as well as hear. She could not help but to smile at him before she continued. "In all of my many years of existence I have not encountered any century that did not breed such corrupt men and women in one form or another in any given part of the world, ready to crush any and all that deigned to stand in their way.

"The two of you have been born into turbulent times for our kind...a seemingly never-ending state of affairs since vampires have come out of the closet. What we have in a simple nutshell is not a war between the humans and vampires, but in-fighting amongst our own between young and old; mainstreamers and those who are insulted at the very idea of it. There is one, an Ancient, who is very much the type of despot I have just described and he is the one responsible for stirring the pot of dissension among our race, now at a catastrophic level; he is the one who executed your Maker and orchestrated this little abduction; he is the one that Roma—the vampire you saw earlier, Trey—and I both work for.

"He is just shy of being four thousand years old, made vampire when he was a Mesopotamian prince, almost two thousand years before Christ was born and I have known him since he was a human child. I was made vampire five hundred years before him, children; I was his Maker's consort, who left this world of his own free will a very long time ago. I have made it a point to stay out of his affairs. We were never called what you could consider as being close, but his Maker was our uneasy bond. If he felt he had reason to kill me he would surely try it—it would not be impossible, but being older than he is would make it at least a challenge.

"That is his particular "thing" now—killing Ancients, although thus far his pickings have been easy—he's killed none as old as himself or older. He knows, as we all do, that the Ancients are out-numbered and he wishes to align himself with the young vampires who want none of this VRA campaign; none of this mainstreaming; no more punishment for being what we are just to be accepted by humans; he wants to be their patron saint—he wants to ensure his own survival.

"His name is Octavian Valerius. The Authority is actively involved in a mission to stop him and I am a double agent, amongst many others, enjoined to help achieve that goal. I must move you both to another location now, one where Roma will not find you; because she will come back here with a small contingency to kill me. And I will be here, ready for them and prepared to send Octavian my final message," she concluded with a knowing smile on here serene face and a gaze that rested far beyond her two charges.

"Sabeen, I don't know what to say," Sarah ran her finger through her hair and drew it up into a ponytail as she clasped her head between her elbows, as if she were trying to keep her head from exploding.

"There is nothing to say, dear, except that it is more than time to go. I have others I need to contact but I must get you both settled first. Trey," she called his name softly and drew his attention away from the floor, which he was staring at in shock and anger at their whole sorry plight, "I promise the next location will not be so claustrophobic."


	76. The Getaway

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 76 The Getaway

When Hadley got home that night she walked her sleepy son into the kitchen by the back door and settled him in a chair.

"Just give me a minute, baby, to put this food up..." she said as she rushed through the task of doing so. When she was done she found that Hunter had put his head on the table and dropped soundly off to sleep. "Oh my poor baby," she whispered at him as she slung her purse over her arm and then scooped him up. "You're gettin' too heavy for this..." she grunted, as she snapped off the light and headed to the stairs. She noticed a form on the couch in the dark and saw that it moved.

"What the hell?"

"It's just me, Hadley—Alcide Herveaux—sorry I startled you."

"Sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay, I wasn't really asleep."

"Well, you'll pardon me, huh? I've got to get this tired heavy munchkin upstairs and he ain't gettin' any lighter in my arms," she smiled at him as her eyes adjusted to the dark and then his face.

"Need some help?"

"No, I got him. 'Night, now."

"Good night."

Hadley got her son up the stairs and dressed him in his pajamas as he slept through it all. She settled him in his bed under the covers and kissed him on his cheek, then tip-toed out of his room and made a beeline for Sookie's room. She knocked on the door lightly.

"Sookie, it's me—you up?" Hadley half-whispered into the crack of the door.

"Yeah, come on in..." Sookie said in a hushed voice.

Hadley entered to find Sookie sitting up in the dark.

"Yeah, I get that..." she said with a light chuckle as she sat down near the foot of the bed.

"What? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine with me. The real question is what the hell is up with you and that hunk downstairs? Really, Sookie, you've got that man on the couch?"

"Well, where am I supposed to have him, Hadley?" Sookie asked her irritatedly.

"How about up here with you, for starters..." Hadley gave her a wink. "And why are we whispering?"

"Because no one should be able to hear the nonsense you're talking, that's why."

"Oh please..." Hadley groaned.

"Besides, I've just been dumped—how would it look for me to go jumpin' in to bed with Alcide or anybody else now?"

"Who cares how it would look—the only thing that really matters is how it would feel, girl..." Hadley gave Sookie's thigh a knowing little tap through the sheet.

"Hadley! Are you drunk or something?"

"Yeah, I am—on all the sexy vibe flowing through this house like an electrical current from that man down there right up here to you, cousin."

"Hadley, really," Sookie scolded her. "My heart still belongs to Eric."

"Damn Eric...he's not here..." Hadley's tone turned a touch angry.

"Don't say that—you don't understand, Hadley," Sookie told her honestly.

"No, I don't understand, Sookie. I don't know how you allow him to continually break your heart and still feel anything for his sorry ass, at all."

Sookie's heart was breaking for all of the things she couldn't tell her cousin. "Hadley, you of all people should believe in the power of second chances, sweetheart," Sookie said tenderly. "C'mon, cut me just a little bit of a break? I could really use all of your positive thoughts right about now," she smiled at her and took Hadley's hands into her own.

"I'm sorry, Sookie, you're right—shame on me. All of my positive thoughts, honey—you got 'em," she said as she gave a gentle reassuring squeeze to each of her cousin's hands. "So, what's he doing here?"

"He had a few too many at Merlotte's and I told to come here instead of driving all the way back to Shreveport."

"Well, that's what friends are for, right?"

"Right."

"Right. Okay, then, guess I'll let you get back to your tossin' and turnin'..." Hadley said as she rose from Sookie's bedside to take her leave. "Both of you."

"What?"

"Well, I guess he sobered up right nice, honey—cuz he's wide awake, too. I'm just sayin'...'nighty-night..." Hadley sang at her as she left the room and closed the door quietly behind her.

The next morning Sookie rose long before Hadley and Hunter and called in sick to Merlotte's. Then she followed Alcide to his house in her car.

* * *

><p>Merlotte's wasn't open yet when Andy drove up and parked in the lot. He got out of his car and headed around back and knocked on the door.<p>

"Andy?" said Terry as he yanked open the door, "where the hell have you fuckin' been all damn week?"

"You told me to get my friend out and I did..." said Andy defensively.

"I didn't tell you to go missing for four days—grandmama's been worried sick about you and Arlene, too. And bless Holly's little heart she ain't said one negative word or even tried to pump me for information about you. Where have you been, Andy?"

"At Bon Temps motel, damn it!"

"Well, I guess I don't have to ask what you were doin'..." said Terry disgustedly. "I told you not to invite this creature into your life and here you are playin' house already."

"What the hell was I supposed to do, Terry?" Andy pushed him in the chest in frustration. "What? You fuckin' tell me!"

"Well, I guess I don't rightly know, cousin, but you hit me more time and..."

"Hey? Hey! What's goin' on out here, guys?" said Sam as he rushed out and then between the two men.

"I got a problem, Sam..." Andy lamented.

"You can say that, again," Terry yelled at him.

"Hey, Terry, calm down, man. Go on back inside and cool off—let me talk to Andy."

"Yeah, you talk to Andy, Sam because I can't stand the sight of him," Terry stormed back inside.

"Andy, what the hell is going on, man?"

"I do need somebody else to talk to. I need help, Sam."

"Okay, take a deep breath and start from the beginning."

* * *

><p>At Kalvaryja, Vitaly Makarov was in slight shock. Julian Cromwell had called urgently in the hour before sunrise with the information he had just learned from Sookie Stackhouse. Immediately he had begun making arrangements for Bill, Tara, Shashen'Ka and Victor to travel to America armed with, what they hoped, was a solid plan to finally rid the world of the threat of Octavian Valerius.<p>

At that moment the four of them had been in flight approximately seven hours already. He still had three hours before his own master rose from slumber. Never in his long years of working for the vampires had he felt so completely out of sorts. He carried on with the duties required of him but his mind was squarely on the showdown looming in America. He said a silent prayer for every soul on the planet, wishing that he could do something more. He settled himself then and did the only thing within his power that he could do: wait.

* * *

><p>"Andy, it's gonna be alright. Is Maurella still at the motel?"<p>

"Yes."

"I'm pretty sure I know someone who can help. You go on back to her and hang tight. When I reach my friend I'll call you and we'll take it from there, alright?"

"Sure, sure, Sam. I can't thank you enough."

"Alright, go on now, I got a call to make."

"Thanks Sam, God bless you," Andy said and then turned, ran back to his car and peeled out. When the dust settled Sam shook his head and walked to the front with his cell phone in hand. He dialed Sookie's number.

"Hey Sam, you got my message this morning?"

"Yeah, I'm not calling about that. Are you at home?"

"No, actually..." she said uneasily.

"Well, I'm not tryin' to get in your business or anything..."

"No, just tell me what's up?"

"Andy has a new friend and he needs some help with her."

"What?"

"She's a fairy, Sookie. According to Andy she came here from another dimension?"

"Faery?" Sookie cut him off.

"Yeah, that's what Andy said. He said she got lost in the jump, separated from the one who brought her here—she latched on to Andy somehow and he doesn't know what the hell to do with her. I was hoping maybe that you'd talk to her, help them both out?"

"I can do that. Where is she? What's her name?"

"They've been at Bon Temps motel all week...her name is Maurella."

"Leave it to me, Sam. I'm pretty sure after I talk to Maurella I'll be able to get her to come with me."

"Oh man, really? That's great. Do you need me to..."

"No, I can handle it. Besides, don't you have a little weekend getaway planned?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Don't you dare break your date—I can help them both, don't you worry another minute about it. And Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Have a great time."

"You don't need to tell me twice," he smiled into his phone. "Thanks, Sookie."

"You're quite welcomed. Bye, Sam."

* * *

><p>"You're not going to believe this..." Sookie said to Alcide after she hung up with Sam.<p>

"Now what?" he asked her irritatedly.

* * *

><p>As was typical before a vacation, even a mini one, Sam found himself inundated with all sorts of last-minute emergencies that day.<p>

"I can't believe this shit...really?"

"I don't know what happened Sam, I was right in the middle of a seven slabs of baby backs and the damn thing just conked out," Terry said of the double oven.

"Let's just go old school, Sam, and fire up the barrel out back like we used to," suggested Lafayette as he did a dip and started dancing with himself; he was remembering a hot little busboy he'd had a thing with back in the day when the grill out back—and Lafayette—used to stay fired up all day.

"That's a fine for sure these days, Lafayette, you know that," Sam grumbled.

"He was fine for sho back then...Lawd have mercy on me!" Lafayette sang out.

"What the hell?" Sam looked at him irritatedly.

"Okay, Geraldine, get back in the damn boat, would ya? We got big trouble here," Terry snapped at his friend.

"You know, you been had yo panties in a bunch all damn day, Terry...don't go puttin' yo shit off on me..." Lafayette replied hotly as he threw his spatula down violently on the counter and took a defiant stance with one hand on his hip.

"Boys, calm down—Sam I just put a call into the Molteni rep—they're sending over an off-duty repairman from New Orleans who just happens to be visiting his mother in Bunkie—he'll be here in a couple of hours," said Holly from the doorway.

"That's gonna be overtime from hell," Terry complained.

"Yeah, Terry, thanks for reminding me," Sam sighed heavily.

"Sam, go get a drink—that's an order—and calm down...not necessarily in that order..." Holly said as she shooed him out of the kitchen.

When he got to the bar the new bartender was swamped and looking lost.

"What's wrong, Jolene?"

"Uh, nothin'..." the attractive thirty-something dishwater blond said nervously.

"Jolene? C'mon now, tell me you didn't just shake that Manhattan..."

"Aren't you supposed to?" she asked him in earnest.

"No, Jolene—did you lie on your application? You told me you had three years experience in Memphis."

"I did, but all the places I worked I never really had to mix any drinks, customers brought their own set-ups..." she said apologetically.

"It's Friday fuckin' night, Jolene! Christ alive!" he said as he pounded his fist on the counter to keep from tearing his hair out.

"Sam, I got it—go on," said Tommy as took his place behind the bar, tied on an apron and started taking orders. "I said I got it. And I got her, too—" he winked at Jolene. "This time next week she'll be a pro."

"Thank you, Tommy," she cooed at him.

"Thank me later," he shot her a look.

Sam groaned and headed to his office to bury himself in some accounts payables for a while. Around nine o'clock he couldn't take any more. He picked up the desk phone and dialed desperately.

"Hi Sam!"

"Zola, can you get off early?"

"No honey, I can't get off until you get here..." she said seductively.

"Bless your sweet little heart—I needed that," he smiled into the phone. "Look, if I stay in this place another minute longer I'm gonna scream—or kill somebody—I'm so ready for you that I can't stand it...I know I was supposed to get there early in the morning, but..."

"Well, I'm working a double tonight...if you get here tonight I'm going to be exhausted..." she told him delicately.

"We don't have to do anything—it's gonna take me three hours anyway—I'd be happy just to hold you, darlin'..."

"You don't understand, Sam...I love making love when I'm exhausted and sleepy as hell."

"Are you being sarcastic? Because..."

"Tell me if this sounds like sarcasm to you," she cut him off. "I love when every bone in my body is weary and tired and I just want to sink into my bed and _become_ the sheets, do you hear me? But I can't because there's a man there who wants my attention and I want to give him mine—and did I tell you he was hot? And more sexy than the law allows? He wants to rejuvenate me with his sweet kisses, every inch of my body; a hot man with blue eyes and shaggy strawberry blond hair that kisses me like no other woman on earth has ever existed for him except me. And did I tell you that I love to play in is soft, sexy hair? And that he's got these distinguished touches of premature grey that absolutely makes the inside of my thighs go all wet and sticky—shame on him, huh? And do you know what I want to do to him?"

"No, what?" asked Sam, lost in the lilt of her soft voice and spellbinding words.

"I want greet him on my balcony under the moonlight with nothing on but a smile; and then I want to walk up behind him and hold him, caress his body with my hands and my own naked one; I want him to feel the crush of my breasts and my hard, tiny nipples on his back as I massage his shoulders and shower his neck...his back...with kisses; I want to run my hands down his bare chest and then his waist while my kisses descend down to his fine, muscular ass as my hands stroke his hard beautiful cock; and then I want to turn him to face me while I'm down on my knees and give him his first kiss of the night; inside his thighs while his cock dances for me, waiting for me to acquaint it with my lips and my tongue—because theirs is going to be the beginning a very long and happy friendship. And did I tell you that I'm exhausted? But his body at my fingertips is bringing me back to life and waking me up and firing up my desire to please him and not be a disappointment. So, after my first kiss I rise up to meet his lips for the second one; and it's just like the one on the menu at his restaurant, but even better; and we carry on like this until I'm in a fever—or my neighbors start complaining. But I don't give one hot, infinitesimal damn about anything but him and pleasing him as much as is humanly possible—until we start over again in the foyer...and then the living room...and then my bedroom..."

"What about the shower? And the kitchen?" he asked her then, his voice low and full of lust.

"We have to save something for in the morning, now don't we?"

"I'm leaving now."

"I'll be there waiting."


	77. Appearances

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 77 Appearances

As Sam struggled through work, Sookie made good on her promise earlier that day and telepathically contacted Maurella.

"_Maurella...my name is Sookie Stackhouse...please don't be alarmed and please don't tell Andy that I'm communicating with you right now..."_ Sookie pleaded with her.

"_Are you the one who Andy said would try to help me? Did you say Stackhouse? Are you Earl's granddaughter?"_

"_Yes, Earl was my grandfather..."_

"_Was?"_

"_He accidentally came back through Queen Mab's portal with me and died."_

"_Oh," _Maurella was disheartened. _"I didn't know—I am so sorry..."_

"_Thank you for that. I understand you came here from Faery with Claude—has he been in touch with you at all?"_

"_No, I'm lost, Sookie...I need help...Andy doesn't seem to know what to do, at all..."_

"_He wouldn't, honey—not a clue. He's a sweet guy..."_

"_Yes, he is..." _Maurella agreed with her warmly.

"_But he's spoken for, Maurella..."_

"_He's not married."_

"_No, but he's in a very loving relationship with his girlfriend, which you're jeopardizing right now. As much as I know that he wants to he can't help you, Maurella. Where he is now?"_

"_Sitting right across from me in a chair, napping."_

"_I'm about an hour away from you right now—I want you to tell Andy that a friend is coming for you—but don't tell him it's me, okay?"_

"_Why not?"_

"_Let's just say that he knows about my telepathic ability but he doesn't really know exactly what I am—I'd like to keep it that way, if you don't mind."_

"_Alright. So I tell him a friend is coming for me—then what?"_

"_Meet me in the woods just down the highway in an hour—I'll pick you up and take you to my house and we can talk."_

"_That's not necessary—I can teleport to you now—just send me a mental picture of exactly where you are..."_

"Oh, wow—freakin' Fairy-MapQuest—must be nice," Sookie said out loud.

"What?" asked Alcide with a confused look on his face, as he sat next to her. "You talkin' to me or her?" Sookie shook her head at him.

"_Wait a minute—you're not a hybrid, are you?"_

"_No, I''m the only pure-blood that came back with Claude."_

"_Sweet Jesus. Okay, I'm in a city called Shreveport..." _Sookie sent her a mental picture of the highway leading to Alcide's house and the city of Shreveport in general in relation to where Maurella was at the motel in Bon Temps.

"_I've got it—I'll see you shortly, Sookie."_

Maurella sat quietly upon the bed and let Andy sleep. He had come back to the room exhausted and upset from the near-altercation he had with his cousin Terry—she couldn't help receiving the frantic thoughts going through his head when he walked through the door. He told her about Sam's promise to contact a friend who could help her and then wearily retired to the chair and tried to pull himself together. She realized then that poor Andy was as much out of his element as she was and just let him be, then. Her brief conversation with Sookie only confirmed what she already knew: she would have to let him go and disappear from his life—and go on with the uncertainty of hers on her own.

She said goodbye to Andy in his dreams and then left him by disappearing in a luminescent blaze of implosive white light.

* * *

><p>In California, Sabeen had safely deposited Sarah and Trey to a safer location. She had gone to her private office while she was there to check her e-mail and found that she had a message from Vitaly Makarov:<p>

_Dearest Sabeen,_

_A note to say hello and let you know that I just read about a wondrous double feature that will be screening soon at a theater near you...'The Untouchables' and 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'...I remember you mentioning that you'd never seen them before...wish I could be there to enjoy them with you. Can't wait for your review!_

_Warmest regards,_

_V_

So, Shashen'Ka and Victor were returning with Bill Compton and Tara Thornton, she understood the coded language to mean. Excellent, she thought to herself. She conducted some other business before she powered down the PC and then joined her charges for a while. Of the latest development all that Sabeen mentioned to them was that reinforcements were on the way in the fight against Valerius. She instructed them not to worry about her and to rest well then left them just before they went to ground.

Sabeen had fed heartily the night before to shore up more strength and when she got back to her cave in Sonoma she stayed up past sunrise just in case Octavian dared to send humans to invade her lair. By noon she dispelled only a little of her paranoia and finally went to ground. She normally didn't require much sleep, staying up most days well into the afternoon, either reading voraciously or getting lost for hours in a favorite piece of music; but then again, she didn't normally expect to meet the True Death every evening, either. She forced herself to her cubby and then to sleep, knowing that she would rise again, well before the sun went down, and wait for Roma's sure return.

* * *

><p>At Alcide's house, Maurella's sudden appearance in his living room startled him badly and Maurella, as well, when she realized what he was. She looked, horror-stricken, over to Sookie.<p>

"I can't believe you brought me here—he's a werewolf!" she said looking as if she would flee from them both.

"He's my _friend_, Maurella; his name is Alcide—please calm down and know that you can trust us both," Sookie told her firmly. Sookie approached cautiously then, and held out her hand. "C'mon and sit down? I have an awful lot to ask you and tell you, as well...please?" Sookie's voice was calm and reassuring. Maurella took her outstretched hand and went with her to sit on the couch.

Once they were all seated Sookie smoothed her hair and gave a deep sigh. "Where in the world do I begin?" she asked of herself in great consternation.

From his seat in a chair across from the two women Alcide offered a suggestion. "How about you start with Claude."

"Maurella, do you know the real reason Claude brought you here?" Sookie asked her delicately.

"The 'real' reason? He told us Queen Mab was mad to reject his idea of harvesting humans; that we needed to replenish our race; that she was being non-progressive and elitist to insist on keeping our race pure and away from earth, even if our numbers were so small. He asked for volunteers and then opened up a portal, just as she had done and led us away. But some of us got separated in the jump—I've been able to find no one that I came here with and I've heard absolutely nothing from Claude."

"How long ago was that?"

"It's been quite some time, Sookie. By the time I found Andy I was quite desperate."

"I can understand that. Claude contacted me, Maurella, and what he told me was more than disturbing. I've found out since that some of the hybrids he brought here he took to another country here on Earth—to be experimented on...to find out if their blood can be used for..." Sookie found it more than difficult to get the words out.

"He wants to add fairy blood to the synthetic blood that vamps drink here, to make it taste better and easier for mainstreamin' vampires so that they'll stop eating humans," Alcide finished for her.

"What? Surely not—who told you this? It can't possibly be true!" Maurella stood up in outrage.

"I promise I found this out from people who know, Maurella, and they're just as outraged as you are—and they're vampires," Sookie told her.

"Why would he do such a thing? Why?"

"Because he thinks he can stop a crazy ancient vampire named Octavian Valerius, who's leading a rebellion here against mainstreaming vampires; because he and Claude were lovers over six hundred years ago."

That news sent Maurella back down to the couch.

"Maurella, were you around when Claude, Claudine and Claudette first came to Faery?"

"Yes. It explains a lot, now."

"Like what?"

"Why there was always so much venom between Claude and Queen Mab. Queen Mab always stayed abreast of the goings-on of our kind down here on Earth; it was her custom never to interfere when the Fae mated with humans and established families with them; but whenever one of us was in trouble, pure-blood or hybrid—dire, life-threatening trouble—she would then as always offer escape and refuge to Faery; without question and with open arms. She would send a Godmother or a Godfather to escort them there; it was a very high honor to be chosen as a Godparent. At any rate, one never knew anyone else's story unless they themselves chose to tell it. Something was very different when the three of them came—much like when you came, Sookie. You're like him, aren't you? You have a vampire love, as well."

"Yes, I do," Sookie admitted honestly. "You were there when I came to Faery, Maurella?"

"I was not at the reception that day but I'd heard of you and that you were Earl's granddaughter. It was the same day that Queen Mab and Claude had a vicious argument; he had assembled a group of us away from the festivities, waiting for him to take us away. By the time one in our group left to see why he had been delayed all hell was breaking loose; he came back and told us that Queen Mab was closing off the portal on punishment of death to any denizen who tried to breach it. We continued to wait for Claude. Some days later, after your escape, Queen Mab came to us in a rage; she'd found that Claude had opened a portal on his own power and was ready to take us through it. She cursed us and said we were all dead to her, that we would never be allowed to return if we went with him. Claude finally came back to us and convinced us that there was a place on Earth for us and that we would be safe. And now here I am."

"Don't you think she would change her mind if she understood that you had all been misled?"

"No, Sookie, following Claude here at all was the ultimate betrayal—leaving Faery with him under any circumstance was tantamount in and of itself to an act of treason. Going back is simply not an option," Maurella said sadly.

"Well, there's a whole lot more I need to tell you and I'm sure you've got some questions..."

"I'm so tired right now, Sookie. I thank you for this, but I don't know if I can absorb much more right at the moment. I need to think about all of this...I need a moment alone—it is not my intent to be rude..."

"Of course not, I understand completely. You're not going to try and leave or anything, are you?" Sookie asked her delicately. "There's so much going on right now and...''

"Where would I go, Sookie? No, I am not going to try and leave, I would just like to lie down. I thank you both," she looked at Alcide then, "and you especially, Alcide, for offering me your kind hospitality."

"You're more than welcomed, Maurella. Sookie can show you to a room where you can rest a while."

"Thank you."

Sookie settled Maurella in one of Alcide's spare bedrooms where she tried to recover from the overwhelming sense of stupidity she felt at her own folly in believing anything Claude had ever told her. She realized with crushing clarity that she would never see Faery again and that she was stuck on Earth with a world full of mad men and women, human and supernatural alike. She cried over her extreme lack of good judgment and for all that was lost to her before she finally escaped into sleep. It was well into the evening before she woke up and heard all of the rest of what Sookie had to tell her.

* * *

><p>Zola typically volunteered for double shifts because the hospital was so under-staffed. Because she was a born night owl it was a piece of cake for her to go two weeks at a stretch working eleven a.m. to three a.m. with no problem and she knew not to push herself any further than that. By the time she got home and her head hit the pillow at the end of that second week, the exhaustion she had described to Sam descended upon her like a speeding freight train and was impossible to stop. Although she felt guilty for asking her boss for the three extra hours off she needed there was no way she was going to finish out the night after that phone call she had with Sam; her excitement over seeing him, now sooner than originally planned, had her crazy with anticipation.<p>

She approached Ernest, her boss, awkwardly after she hung up with Sam.

"Hey, Ernest?"

"Hey sweetheart...you need help with Mr. Jackson?" he asked of the eighty-five year-old vet who was next on her rounds.

"No, no—he's all changed and resting comfortably. No, I have a big favor to ask..."

"Shoot, honey..." he said as he looked away from his clipboard and peered at her over his glasses.

"Can I leave early tonight? At midnight?" she asked him with no explanation. The reason she felt awkward was because she had already put in for the weekend off.

Zola was a professional and very expert at her job; along with that she just had a way with the patients that was a joy to behold and blessing to everyone she came in contact with. Because of that and their need for the help, management had more than looked the other way when she began volunteering to work out of classification and extra hours helping the CNA staff. Ernest was a fair boss to all of his employees and found micro-management a waste of time, spirit and energy for every one. He didn't require a song and dance routine when his employees requested time off or called in sick because he understood that people had lives outside of the job; he was rewarded by having a staff of employees who appreciated him and kept their absenteeism down admirably. Zola was no different.

"Of course you can, honey—you know we all appreciate these doubles you pull—rooms 324 to 334 will miss you, but I'll take care of them," he assured her, no stranger to the blurred lines of job classifications himself.

"Thanks, Ernest. I'll make it up."

"No, dear, you deserve it. Just please come back on Monday," he half-joked. Although he wasn't trying to pry he could see the extra-special gleam in her eyes that she was trying valiantly to mask; something told him that maybe the volunteered double shifts might be coming to an end.

Zola lived only ten minutes away from her job, but she knew that she was cutting it close. She figured it might take Sam just a little over three hours—at least enough time for her to grab a shower and change—which, considering what she was changing into would only take seconds. She jumped out of the shower when she was done and raced down stairs, toweling herself off and as she went, heading for the balcony in back—no strange bird was perched on the rail, no naked Sam was waiting for her. She raced back up again to lotion up her body, primp her hair and grab the naughty little pieces of lingerie laying out on her bed then raced naked back to the balcony—still no Sam. She took her first real breath since she had walked into her place. She walked halfway back down the foyer and stepped into a sheer black baby doll, adorned with ultra feminine ruffled straps that hung alluringly off the shoulder and then tied on its matching g-string; she leaned upon the wall and looked through the screen door, trying to calm her nerves and excitement. It was hard to accomplish either. Suddenly she felt silly in her crazy little get-up and was about to take it off when she heard a series of far-off flat chirps and stuttering whistles in the quiet of the still night.

She raced to the door and out of it as she heard the sound of powerful wing beats and found a magnificent bald eagle coming in for a landing on her balcony rail, its wingspan appearing easily to be six feet or more. The sight of him took her breath away and Zola let out an amazed gasp. Perched on the rail he looked to be at almost three feet tall; she had never seen such a regal animal live, in-person and up close and she found herself mesmerized through every blink of his piercing gaze upon her. He stretched out his wings which caused Zola to back away in awe as he flew down from the rail onto the balcony floor and became Sam.

"Wow..." he smiled at her appreciatively. "You said you were gonna be naked...but I think I like this even better," he said of the perfection that was her body showcased sinfully under the soft folds and seduction of sheer black fabric. "What? You thought a week without you wasn't enough to drive me absolutely crazy? You thought you needed extra ammo to help with this?" he drawled at her, referring the the most physical evidence of his growing desire.

Zola was speechless. Sam noticed a single tear cascading down her cheek.

"Hey?" he cooed at her as he walked closer, "what's wrong?"

"I've never seen anything so...so stunningly beautiful as that in all of my life..." she said as she walked slowly to meet him. Zola was so outdone by her own geekiness that she had to laugh at herself. "I feel like a total—I don't know what...you're overwhelming, Sam...I'm...I'm..." She stuttered in little gasps as she tried to find the right words and absolutely could not.

"Stunningly beautiful, so we're even..." he whispered at her as their bodies finally made contact. He took her face into his hands and threatened to kiss her; instead he lowered one hand and caressed her chin, then her soft, lovely neck as he gripped her throat ever-so-lightly and let his thumb rest upon her pulsing jugular vein; with his other hand he gently traced the soft contours of her chin; her cheek, where he wiped away her tear; her eyes; then finally trailed his caress back down and to her lips, at which point she drew his finger into her sweet mouth and sucked upon it, lost in the abandon of his touch and her pleasure at the feel of him. "Oh, really?" he murmured at her.

She nodded her head; finally she released his finger from the curling grip of her tongue and kissed the tip of it. She placed his hand down at his side and moved behind him to make good on her promise from their conversation on the phone earlier, but he grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her.

"Sorry, darlin'..." Sam took her hand and brought her back around to face him as if he was preparing to lead her in a dance, as his other held her by the curve of her waist; he rested her held hand upon his shoulder then positioned her squarely before him. He pulled her into the crush of his embrace, then ran both of his hands sensuously up her back where they ended at the nape of her neck; he grabbed handfuls of her soft, thick hair, and cradled her head reverently as his face neared hers. Sam looked in her eyes, his own full of serious and sobering intent and in a tone that sounded almost like a threat growled, "First kiss is mine..."

When Sam's lips finally descended upon hers Zola let out a tiny little gasp of unchecked joy as she allowed herself to drown in the reality of his electric touch and intoxicating hunger. Sam's kiss was unrelenting and unapologetic as his desire for her began to grow and his manner became more brusque.

"That's for Sunday," he said when he released her lips from his own. He pushed her away from him playfully, but rather forcefully as he backed her up against the wall.

"Sam?" she smiled nervously at him, a little alarmed by the dark turn his desire had taken.

"Explain yourself..." he smiled devilishly as he raised the hem of the baby doll up at her.

"Bought online on a dare...horny girls' night in—never been worn before..." she encapsulated the details as she looked up at him through furrowed brows.

"Nice," he said as he let it slip out of his fingers. "Tell me, was liquor involved in that dare?"

"Copious amounts of vodka, yes..."

"Really? So you're an impulsive drunk," he teased her. "I wonder what a bottle of vodka and a few dares from me might cause you to do..."

"You might be amazed—especially if you hold the vodka."

"Wow. So you like games?"

"I love games. One of my favorites is a drinking game, played with with a date and two or three hardcore porn movies...kind of an art-imitating-life thing..."

"Really? So you're an impulsive, fun-loving drunk," he corrected himself as he reached up and pulled the strap of her baby doll down perilously to the top of an erect nipple. "And how often do you play that one?"

"Actually, I've only ever heard about it—but I've got the movies all lined up for you."

"Well, that's awful sweet of you. And I'll tell you what else..." he said as he played with her nipple through the soft, sheer fabric.

"What's that?" she asked as she surrendered to the ecstasy of that particular torment.

"I can guarantee that you won't be having anymore of those." He pressed his body closer into to hers.

"What?"

"Horny girls night in, darlin'—history... " He untied the bows of her g-string and watched it slip away and fall silently to the floor. "By the way..." he dropped to his knees and looked up at her, still smiling, "this is for Monday..." He draped one of her legs over his shoulder and began to place ginger kisses upon the insides of her thighs.

"Sam..." she moaned his name.

"Tuesday was a real long day for me, so this one's gonna take a while..." he warned her before he gave the first of many deep, soulful kisses to the hot, sweet mound between her legs. She began to struggle under the intensity of his savage attention to her and the orgasmic H-bombs going off all over her body.

"Sam...oh God..." she leaned her head against the wall as she reached down and caressed his skull through his hair. "Sam?"

"Yes?"

"This is not what we discussed over the phone..."

"Good thing for you that I'm flexible, then, huh darlin'?" he looked up at her and said through a wicked little smile.


	78. Fun And Games

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 78 Fun and Games

Promptly at sundown Roma Vicenzo arrived with vampire and human guards in tow and stormed Sabeen's lair. Sabeen stood calmly in the middle of her earthen living room.

"We know that you have the fledglings hidden away, Sabeen. The Authority demands that you release them to me immediately," Roma hissed at her.

"The Authority, my ass, Roma," Sabeen said with a smirk.

Roma bristled but said nothing as she looked over her shoulder at her troops who then raised their assault rifles at Sabeen. She looked back at Sabeen with smug satisfaction written all over her face.

"You will take me to them, you old bat, or die."

"Or die? Don't you mean and then die?"

"You are as crazy as all Ancients. We will find them with or without your cooperation. Without just means more fun for me."

"You must have fucked-up royally, Roma, for Octavian to send you here to die like this."

"What the fuck are you talking about, you crazy bitch!" Roma was totally incensed at Sabeen's cool reserve.

"Your presence here this evening is a response to my message to him, dear, that's all; an invitation, Roma—proof that he wishes an audience with me—and that you've failed him for the last time."

"I'll tell you what he wishes—he wishes to receive your bloody fangs from my hand to his and to know that you suffered greatly before you met the True Death."

"And you think that you and this sad little contingent are capable of carrying that out, do you?" Sabeen smiled at her sweetly.

Roma replied by holding out her gloved hand to a human guard who placed a pair of pliers in it. Two tall male vampires emerged from the shadows behind Sabeen, each holding a sheet of silver chain mail. Sabeen heard them as they approached but said nothing.

"Of course you aren't surprised, Old One, this pathetic hole is nothing more than an elaborate grave, after all; breachable and quite fitting, don't you think?" Roma's voice was dripping with satisfaction as she cut her eyes at the two vampires and signaled them to subdue Sabeen.

All of a sudden the lair became a hive of pandemonium; the two vampires behind Sabeen found themselves assaulted and silvered, as if the sheets in their hands had come alive and turned on them of their own will; they lay writhing on the ground as the mail upon their bodies wrapped itself ever tighter around them, burning hotter and redder as it seared into them and their screams filled the air. The vampire guards behind Roma were suddenly shrapneled by the wood and silver as the assault rifles in their hands exploded and obliterated them, washing over Roma and her human guards in a hail of rent flesh and raining blood. The human guards began to scream and run over each other as they tried to get back up the stairs and away from sure death.

"_Cowards—you give mice a bad name—turn and face me!"_ she glamoured them all as she kept her eyes trained on Roma. The dozen or so men and women found themselves unable not to obey her as they ceased their frantic efforts to escape. The humans watched in horror not knowing what in the world was to come next, rooted to their spots, transfixed by Sabeen's thoughts alone.

"What are you idiots doing? Shoot her! Now!" Roma shouted at the humans.

"I'm afraid it's you and me, Roma."

Well then, do what you will!" screamed Roma as Sabeen advanced slowly upon her.

"Yes, I see that Octavian never told you the full extent of my power, did he? Poor, poor Roma. The True Death is much too good for you, dear..." and then Sabeen rushed her and clamped her hand around Roma's throat. Their eyes locked on to each other and the full weight of Sabeen's intent became apparent to the other doomed vampire.

"Cannibal!" Roma managed to grunt at her.

"Yes, I am..." Sabeen cooed at her, the blood lust rising in her at fever pitch. _"Come closer children, and see what is in store for you..."_ she ordered the humans as they moved like zombies and formed a circle around the vampire couple. She brought the struggling vampire into her embrace and then tore into her throat as her eyes rolled back into her head, like a shark as it takes that first glorious bite into it's carefully selected victim. She drained Roma as dry as she could before she felt the taste of death and then dropped her desiccated body upon the floor. "And now dessert..." she said to her entranced captives before she went into a vicious feeding frenzy. Before she stilled the last beating human heart she heard a cell phone ringing—it was Roma's, now encased in the dust that was her remains. Sabeen threw the dead body in her hands to the floor and picked it up, blew off the topmost layer of grime and answered the phone.

"Is it done?"

"Yes, you coward, it is done."

"Sabeen, how lovely to hear your voice," came his smooth, calm unsurprised voice. "She was growing bothersome, I admit."

"As have I, correct?"

"Well, yes, actually."

"Nice try."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I could taste the Hep B in their blood—sorry to disappoint you. You should have tried something stronger—napalm, maybe?" she mocked him.

"Believe me, had it been possible I surely would have done it. But you are giving me some beautiful ideas, Sabeen."

"I'm coming for you, Octavian," Sabeen told him, more than unfazed.

"Of course you are. I promise that you will not be the victor at your next trial, Sabeen. I hope that you enjoyed yourself, because it is the last time you will ever do so."

"So you say, _Young One_..." she smiled into the phone. She heard his unceremonious disconnect and the line go dead.

* * *

><p>"Sookie..."<p>

"Bill? Oh my God, where are you?"

"We just landed at Shreveport Regional...are you alright?"

"I'm fine—I'm at Alcide's house. I had a meeting with Octavian Valerius, Bill; he had Eric's sister Nora abduct me..."

"Sookie..." Bill's voice registered alarm.

"I'm fine and it's a long story. There's another fairy here with us—she came through the portal with Claude but she doesn't know where he is; I talked to Claude—telepathically, just today—but he's gone missing, Bill. I don't know if he's gone to see Octavian, but I'm afraid he has and that the worst has happened..."

"Have you talked to Eric at all?"

"Yes, but I don't know where he is now or what the plan is...he said he was going to contact you..."

"We have been in transit...our connecting flight was delayed in Paris...we have not had messages from anyone yet...okay..." he said to a muffled voice in the background.

"Bill?"

"I was just talking to Shashen'Ka, Sookie, she is our comrade from Minsk—she is checking messages now. Would you kindly put Alcide on the line?"

"Sure..." Sookie handed her phone to Alcide. "Bill wants to speak with you..."

"Hey, Bill..."

"Alcide, may we come to your house? We need to regroup and update each other...we would go to Fangtasia if we thought it was safe and not ask to impose on you..."

"Sure, Bill, no problem."

"Thank you, Alcide. We will see you shortly." Bill rang off.

"They're on the way," he told Sookie as he handed her back her phone.

Sookie turned to Maurella then. "Maurella, I've got more friends coming and I want you to know that even though they're vampires you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Thank you, Sookie, I understand...I trust you," Maurella smiled weakly at her.

* * *

><p>"Thank you, esteemed members, for being present on such short notice," Valerius addressed the seven Authority representatives assembled at the round table in the main conference room of their headquarters. The group around the table looked as cosmopolitan and innocuous as international businessmen assembled to discuss a merger, but each member was a powerful Ancient that had seen the rise and fall of many civilizations before and were powerful warriors, each one, in their own right.<p>

"What is the meaning of this, Octavian?" asked an Ancient named Ridley Manners, more than perturbed.

"I appreciate your upset, but I promise I have good reason to call this meeting...please bear with me, Ridley."

"Outrage is a better word for it, Octavian. You have two weeks to your appointment as King of Louisiana, yet our reports on you detail activities way beyond your premature scope of authority. What is the meaning behind the assassination of Nan Flanagan? You did not have our approval for that abominable course of action. Explain yourself," Manners demanded angrily.

"Gentlemen...and lady..." he turned to Nora at his side, then back to the rest around the table, "this is a new era for us. To put it very simply, humans are food. While a very remarkable few make excellent recruits, we all know that they are inferior beings. We Ancients are outnumbered, gentlemen, you know this; our young brethren do not appreciate the choices we've made for them and you must admit that our race coming out of the coffin has, in actuality, netted us no great benefit."

"We have made inroads, Octavian," said an angelic vampire who looked like all of his human fifteen years which betrayed his twenty-three hundred years of existence. "It has been an endeavor fraught with bumps in the road, but that was to be expected, to a degree—you know this."

"That may be, Roberto, but our needs, as Ancients, are very different from the young ones, and the young ones desire to be what they are in all of their glory, the same as you enjoyed for the majority of your existence. I greatly sympathize with their dissatisfaction over the advent of mainstreaming. You must all admit that it is decidedly not for everyone and even less desirable as an edict. Surely you can understand that."

"You are quite effectively trying my patience, Octavian—what exactly have you called us here for?"

"That's so typical of you, Ridley. I ask for an honest consideration and you ignore me completely. Just as you have done the youth of our race."

"We have not only given them consideration, Octavian, we gave them a voice!" Manners roared at him. "When we appointed Nora to the Authority, we gave them all the representation they were seeking. What do they want now? To live in a society with no rules? We have seen what chaos that breeds. They have a voice and the decision has been made and we must stay the course and see it come to fruition. It is not impossible to achieve, Octavian, neither is it an easy task. But it is not impossible."

"It is impossible. It is wrong. It is pointless. We've lost more on our side since this ridiculous campaign began and you know it; we have jeopardized ourselves for no good reason at all, so that we can, what? Ride alongside humans at Disneyland and sing along to 'It's A Small World'? Fill our shopping carts to near bursting with Tru Blood and talk of rising gas prices with them at checkout stands in suburban supermarkets?"

"You reduce our endeavors to disrespectful and insulting simplicity, Octavian. What do they want? I shall not ask it again," Manners informed him through clenched teeth.

"You won't have to, Ridley. I have aligned myself with the future. What they want is for you to do the same. See how beautiful simplicity can be?" Octavian smiled at his colleague.

"Octavian..." began Roberto cautiously.

"No, Roberto, silence! We are not human! Our concerns are not theirs, they have made that abundantly clear; desegregation helps nothing, in the long run. Humans can always be counted on to be human. If we are to survive as a race we must be able to be ourselves, as well. Either you are with that program or you are not—align yourself with the past if you wish, but know that it is not the wise course."

"A threat, then?" Manners said as he rose from the table. All of the others around the table rose to join him.

"No, Ridley—a promise." Valerius and Nora rose from the table as well. An army of vampires entered the room then, with their wood and silver bullet-loaded rifles cocked and trained upon them all. Valerius took Nora's hand and led her to her command position before the troops.

"Nora, how could you betray us this way?" Manners looked at her stony face and realized no answer would ever come from her lips. "Do what you will, Octavian. Sooner or later you will prove to your constituents that you are indeed the embodiment of all that they truly fear: the madness that comes with too many years of existence. It is a shame that the few truly mad bastards as you and Russell Edgington give us all such a bad name. When we are gone, the proof that sanity does exist in the aged vampire, and they have only you as the worst example of what eternity may have in store for them—then they will realize their mistake in following you and you will have sealed your own ultimate fate. That is a promise." Manners told him finally.

"Do not utter his name in conjunction with mine! And your words mean less than nothing now, Ridley; my actions have been neither premature or beyond my scope of authority—I _am_ the Authority. Take them out of my sight and secure them below," Valerius ordered his troops. "We will have a trial tomorrow evening and a glorious mass execution. Enjoy your last evening on Earth, gentlemen."

The seven Authority members were silvered and led away. When the room was finally clear Valerius went to the door and called for another to be brought before him.

"What of Sabeen, my Liege?" Nora asked him.

"I am more than ready for Sabeen. Go and see to it that our charges are secured properly, Nora. I will take this meeting alone. Not so fast, my obedient one—a kiss before you go?" he smiled into her eyes.

"Of course," she managed to say before his lips descended upon hers.

"Run along now," he said when he released her and dismissed her as if she were a child. "More fun and games are in store for later, my dear. Do wait up for me," he growled at her.

Nora gave him a knowing smile then bowed and took her leave as Claude was brought into the room.


	79. Operation Casper

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 79 Operation Casper

"You know, I always just thought it was a movie cliché and a nice line in one of my favorite Steely Dan songs..." she panted into her pillow.

"What's that?" he asked as he lay on top of her backside, spent, both of them drenched in sweat and trying to catch their breath.

"It is entirely possible..." she turned her head from the pillow to receive his kiss.

"It's entirely possible...yes, go on," he murmured into her neck then as he kissed it sweetly.

"That I might actually..." She was cut off by another tender kiss.

"Uh huh, you might actually...go ahead, I'm listening..." he said softly as he slipped himself inside of her again. She let out little gasp of surprise. He pulled her up then by her waist keeping her on her knees. As she raised up he put one hand to her neck and gently pushed until her torso was back down to the bed. "Right there," he said as he moved his other hand to the small of her back and massaged it, "don't move...good...so, you were saying?" he asked as he punctuated his question with a hard thrust into the warm, wet, heaven that had called him home again.

"You like to cripple your women, do you?" she moaned at him. "I mean...oh my God..."

"No...and you will walk again, I'm not all that," he smiled as he slowed down to a gentle stroke.

"Hung and humble—a deliciously scandalous combination, Mr. Merlotte..." she said dreamily. Sam gave one of her cheeks a playful swat. "That was nice—do it again..." she ordered him.

Sam obliged her, his desire ignited anew by her own re-awakened fervor as she struggled to endure his long journey to release. Zola grunted and groaned into her pillow as she felt his intensity growing, and then his hands as they gripped her ass cheeks hard and spread her wider apart; he pounded into her mercilessly then, inching her further up the bed with every powerful thrust of his hips.

"I said don't move," he chastised her gently as he pulled her back down into position roughly. Zola, feeling both miffed and extremely turned on, braced herself as she felt him coming in for a particularly punishing stroke.

* * *

><p>"Have a seat, Claude—you look rather unsteady," Valerius smirked at his old lover.<p>

"I shall stand, thank you," Claude said simply.

Valerius waved his guards away and the two men were alone in the room at last.

"I have been waiting all these hours to see you, Claude, anticipating the moment that we would look into each other's eyes once again. I felt your presence when you arrived this afternoon, do you know that? I have tried to conduct my business as expediently as possible this evening—I hope you didn't mind waiting. You are still as beautiful as ever. And so brave to come here, especially at this turbulent time."

"And what turbulent time would that be, Octavian?"

"Why, the one for humans, of course. The course ahead is firmly plotted and nothing can stop me, Dear One. It is a glorious night, indeed."

"I haven't been your Dear One for such a very long time, please do not mock me."

"I'm not mocking you, Claude, I'm simply relishing an old memory. Why have you come here to see me after all of this time?"

"To dissuade you from this cataclysmic campaign of yours."

"And how on earth could you possibly do that?" Valerius gave him a chilling smile.

Claude approached Valerius slowly. "You loved me, once, Octavian, as I loved you. Is there nothing of that love that still exists in you?"

Valerius walked closer to Claude and then embraced him; Claude melted in to him, relieved to feel Octavian's cold cheek upon his warm one as their lips drew nearer to each other.

"Yes, these lips—I remember them well, Dear One..." Valerius whispered to him as his lips lightly traced the delicate contour of his face.

"And I, yours...kiss me now and bring the memory back to life, Octavian..."

"I wish that it was that simple, Claude. I'm sorry to inform you that is a memory that must die," Valerius drew slowly away from him. "What have you come here for, Claude?"

"You remember well what it was like to feed from me and my sisters; the joys we all experienced in one another..."

"Of course I do."

"Why can't it be so for all vampires? Why must humans be made to suffer?"

"Why, indeed," Octavian sniffed disgustedly at his old lover as he walked away and then paced around him in a circle. "That you can ask such a question is laughable."

"Octavian, what if I told you that I have a small group of fairies willing to provide their blood as an additive—an enhancement—to Tru Blood? Think of the impact that it would have for mainstreaming vampires...the human lives that could be spared...the good will that could be fostered in earnest between the races, finally."

"A small group of fairies? That is totally preposterous, Claude..."

"No, not, I assure you. I've had many stumbling blocks on the road to synthesizing the blood for mass production, but there's been a breakthrough," Claude began excitedly.

"Claude, stop. I can't expect you to understand and I don't. We had a moment in time that was beautiful and amazing. That moment is over. Whatever it is that you have done I could almost admire you for—if you had truly done it for me."

"I have done it for you, Octavian. I have gone against my own Queen, the majority of my own people—for you."

"No, you have done this to save humans, Claude; your race has always had a special affinity for them," Valerius said with great tenderness. "It is an affinity that is not shared by vampires."

"No, Octavian, I have done this for you. You were wronged by your own kind; we were robbed of a happy existence with each other. And there are vampires on this planet that do share that very special affinity for humans—how can they not? You were all human once and I, for one, believe that bond is never truly broken; the humanity you shed is done by choice—it is not an automatic by-product of vampirism and we all know it. In spite of all that has happened, between all the races, human and supernatural, all of that can be put to right... all you have to do is assist me in my endeavor and abandon this desire you have to start war among us all."

"Beautiful words, Claude. Absolutely beautiful. Words..." the tenderness in Valerius' voice was draining away as surely as the grimace on his face was becoming more volatile. "None of this would have been necessary if the Authority had just left well-enough alone. Coming out the coffin only served to make us open targets to humans, who have only ever needed fear to justify the crimes against humanity they have always excelled at. It is a new era, Claude. I am the new Authority, backed by thousands of others who understand that our battle is being waged on the defensive, not the offensive. This is not and never has been an ideal world. Your endeavor is useless...juvenile—not based in reality at all. And you are a liability to me, now. It would have been far better for you had you stayed away, within the safe confines of Faery and the approving bosom of your own people."

"Octavian? You can't mean to do this..." Claude said in horror.

"Have you not been listening to me, Dear One?" Valerius asked as he advanced upon him.

"Octavian, please, don't make me do it..." Claude warned as he held out his hand.

"Oh," Valerius sighed rapturously, "I invite you to...go ahead..."

As the tears streamed down Claude's face he mustered up all of his power to hurl a beam of light at his former love but found himself impotent to release it.

"You are suffering and must be put out of your misery," Valerius said softly as he took Claude's throat into his hand. "It is love that compels me, Dear One. The last act of love that I shall ever perform again..." With those words Valerius bared his fangs, ripped into Claude's throat viciously and savored the sweet nectar that was his fairy blood. He drained him dry and dropped his then elfin husk upon the floor where it began to pop and sizzle as it erupted into a shower of golden embers. Within seconds Claude's body was only a small pile of fine ash. Valerius left the room without a backwards glance.

"Clean that up and scatter it to the wind," he instructed a guard as he went, bound for Nora who was waiting for him in his private quarters.

* * *

><p>Sookie sat on Alcide's couch next to Maurella as they both watched each vampire engaged on their cell phones trying to track Eric. Tara was talking to Julian Cromwell, who hadn't heard a thing from Eric since he had taken Sookie to meet him at the mine shaft; the Cordoban beauty that was Shashen'Ka was on the phone with Vitaly Makarov while the dark, handsome, bearded pirate-looking dude named Victor was speaking in Russian to someone named Andrej Kuznetsov; Bill had just hung up with Ginger letting her know only that they were back in town. No sooner had he hung up with her than his phone rang.<p>

"Bill Compton."

"Mr. Compton, my name is Sabeen—I believe Eric Northman told you about me?"

"Yes, he did."

"Very good. I have just had a meeting with Roma Vicenzo—she will not be reporting back to Octavian Valerius," came the motherly voice on the other end of the line. "I don't believe that you have heard from Eric Northman—he's not been in contact with me, either. But I know where Valerius is located and would like to coordinate a rendezvous with you and your party there. I will text the coordinates to you. I can be there within an hour from where I am. Please map your way and tell me how soon you and your comrades can be there and I will meet you."

"Thank you, Sabeen. As soon as we receive the location I will contact you again immediately." At the sound of Sabeen's name Sookie and Maurella saw the other vampires stop their conversations mid-sentence and turn their attention to Bill.

"Thank you, Mr. Compton."

"Please call me Bill."

"Thank you, Bill." Sabeen rang off. Seconds later her text with the coordinates came through.

Alcide, who had left the room to take a call from his sister in his kitchen, came back with a beer in hand. He looked at the vampires, who all looked stricken, and then at Sookie and Maurella, who just looked confused.

"What? What's happened, now?" he asked them all.

Bill punched the coordinates into the navigation app on his phone and shook his head. "You are not going to believe this..." he said then.

"Well, where the hell is that bastard?" asked Tara.

"The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia."

"What the hell?"

"There is a facility there, under the resort, run by the government; code-named "Casper" and rumored to be the congress-in-hiding bunker—it's even a tourist attraction. Vampires have a long history of—influencing—governments, shall we say, to meet their own agenda. The Authority must have some such arrangement for him to be located there," said Victor to them all.

"Good night," said Sookie incredulously.

"How long will it take us to get there? Sabeen is in California but she said she can get there in an hour..."

"Sabeen is older than Valerius—most likely she can fly at the speed of thought. We will have to travel by more conventional means. Anubis should be able to get us there non-stop in three hours," said Shashen'Ka.

"Sookie, maybe you should get home in case Eric tries to contact you there," suggested Bill.

"No, he knows that I'm here. Alcide has been more than hospitable," she looked over at him and gave him an appreciative smile.

"Alright. If you hear from him before we do..." Bill began, as he dialed Sabeen's number.

"You don't have to tell me. Will you have enough time to do anything tonight?"

"We will follow Sabeen's lead on that one, Sookie. You will hear from one of us before daybreak," Shashen'Ka smiled at her.

"How can you be so calm?" Sookie asked her, worry written all over her face.

"Hold down the fort, Golden One." Shashen'Ka approached her and gave her a strong reassuring hug, followed by Tara who gave her a long hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll be back, Sook. Positive thoughts, girlfriend," Tara winked at her. The four vampires disappeared.

"It's gonna be a long night..." sighed Alcide heavily as he sank into his chair.

* * *

><p>"I'm certain the charade is over..."<p>

"I should be there..."

"No, I've heard from Sabeen—Roma is no more."

"Good."

"Good and bad. Claude is here—I don't think he will survive the night, either. When Octavian is done with him I'll be next."

"Tell me where you are, Nora..." Eric beseeched her.

"Call Sabeen, Eric...and come here only if she instructs you to, which will mean that she is on the way with reinforcements. There's nothing you can do here alone."

"Damn it, Nora..."

"Call Sabeen—I must go—Octavian is coming..." she whispered and then hung up.

"Nora! Damn it," Eric cursed as he dialed Sabeen's number. She answered before the first ring completed itself.

"Eric..."

"Nora is in danger..."

"Calm down, Eric, we'll just have to trust that she can handle him a few hours longer," Sabeen said soothingly. "The others are on the way—we'll all be there in three hours..."

"She may not have three hours! Tell me where, already..." he hissed into his phone.

"West Virginia...Greenbrier Resort—how soon can you get there?"

"I can be there in two hours."

"Alright, bring Cromwell with you. We will get there first, but we must wait for the others. We can scope ground security, at least."

"When I get there I'm going in, Sabeen..."

"You will not, Eric—we need the others—you'll be no help to Nora if you're a pile of goo on the entrance grounds. Collect Cromwell and be on your way; I'll see you soon, but we wait for the others. That's an order," she told him firmly and hung up.

Eric let out an exasperated grunt as he punched up Cromwell on speed dial.

"Eric! Where are you? Everyone has been..."

"I know. How soon can you get to West Virginia?"


	80. White Sulfur Springs

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 80 White Sulfur Springs

"Nora, my lovely one...I hope you didn't cut your call short on my account..." said Valerius as he came bursting robustly into his private quarters.

"Why no, my Liege," she said simply as she turned to face him, her phone snapped shut and already in a pant pocket.

"You must pardon my giddiness...I had quite an intoxicating meeting with our fairy friend—he was so delicious. I'm sorry I didn't share him with you, but you know what a greedy bastard I can be."

Nora said nothing.

"You might as well drop the pretense, love—the jig is up—as the saying goes." Valerius looked at her carefully, searching for even the hint of a flinch of a muscle anywhere on her body and narrowed his eyes at her. "I advise that you think very carefully before you say another word to me, Nora." He waited. "So, it's to be silence, then? Well, not for long...before the sun comes up this whole facility will be flooded with your screams, in symphony with those ridiculous idiots in the chamber below...all of you, including your dear brother and his pathetic little cavalry.

"I knew you were full of shit when you didn't bring him to me immediately—it has never taken you a week to carry out any order of mine in over two hundred years, Nora dear; I knew you were full of shit when brought that hybrid fairy here as 'proof' that Eric's whereabouts were unknown; I knew you were full of shit when I suggested you to the Authority as a representative of our youngest contingents—you didn't give a fuck about them, or mainstreaming or anything else except your own play for power, at least until your brother came into the picture. I chose you because you were young and pliable; because you are young and _weak_; I chose you because you have served my purposes excellently and because you are just about the best liar on this planet—but not good enough to fool me."

"Tell me something I do not know, Octavian, your little diatribe is boring me," she said smugly.

"You are a fantastic actress. But I have grown so very tired of your act."

Just then a dozen guards stormed through the door; two were carrying glistening piles of chain mail heaped atop red velvet pillows as they approached Valerius.

"Let me see," he instructed the one to his left. The guard held up the item and unfurled it noisily, revealing that it was a long dress made in the style of a haltered gown. "Oh, sexy! The other?" he motioned to the guard on his right, who held up the article to reveal that it was a long veil. "Excellent!" Valerius went to Nora then and with the powerful clutch of his hand ripped her leather jacket off of her violently, then her shirt and pants. "Take off that silly underwear and your boots, dear...that's my girl," he said as he eyed her naked white body appreciatively. "You are to be the bride of the Devil himself tonight, lovely one—put on your bridal raiments and smile for the camera now..." he said as another guard produced a camera and put it into his hand. "No? Not ready for your close-up? Dress her..." he ordered the guards gruffly as he snapped a series of photos without even looking through the lens.

Nora didn't bother to struggle as she braced herself for the burn; one guard lifted up her arms as another gathered the gown to slip over her head which he did roughly, rending bits of her burning flesh as he pulled down the heavy mail over the rest of her body; the halter was clasped about the back of her neck the same as a necklace and was almost hard to fix through the acrid smoke that was coming in waves from her body. Nora felt as though she would lose consciousness any minute as she tried not to scream out, her hisses mixed with the painful sizzle of her skin; part of her back that was still bare and scorched lightly by grazing of the dress was already in the process of healing slightly when the veil was brought before her. It was actually a long hood that covered her head like a glove but with silver spikes done up like a crown of thorns; they placed it on her head and it took care of her back where the dress did not and completed her agony. As the metal seared her eyelids and face she could finally take no more and screamed out, which gave Valerius the satisfaction he was looking for.

"Be a good hostess now, and prepare to greet our guests," Valerius smiled at her. "Take her to the main hall and prop her up nicely, now—don't wrinkle that dress..." His laughter echoed behind her screams as they half-drug her away.

* * *

><p>"What's going on down there?" asked Cromwell when he met Eric on the high Allegheny mountain ridge over-looking the White Sulfur Springs valley below.<p>

"I don't fucking know..."

"Golf..." came a disgusted female voice behind them.

"Sabeen..." said Eric with great relief when he saw her emerge from the shadows.

"Hello, Comrades. We have another hour before Bill and company get here."

"We can't wait another hour, Sabeen—Valerius was coming for her when we hung up—I'm afraid to think what's happened to her already. I cannot just stand here and wait."

"Eric, it's just too risky without all of us here—it will be easy to get past the human security team, but it's what is waiting for us behind that 25-ton blast door that leads to his compound that worries me," she informed them both.

"Is that the only way in?" he asked.

"The only one that I've been able to discern from the plans, yes."

"She told me that the other seven are silvered and detained—he wants to have some crazy trial tomorrow..."

"Even when we take him out, Eric—and we will—you have to know that Octavian is only one head on the hydra—his cancer has spread to Europe and the WVF—he is not even necessary to this movement. Our only hope is to strike quickly and recover, reinstate the seven as soon as possible in a show of power—we will be rooting out dissidents for quite some time to come before it is all over. It isn't impossible, but it will be an uphill climb all the way. Many of us will not make it..." she said delicately as she placed her hand lightly on Eric's arm. "I hope that we can get to them all in time—but Nora is so young—all that I am saying is prepare yourself but please stay focused," Sabeen told him firmly.

Cromwell paced behind them, uttering curses under his breath. "What the fuck is taking them so long?"

"Geography—we simply all cannot fly, Julian. Try to calm yourself," Sabeen directed her soothing voice at him although she had not turned away from the tortured one leaning then on her shoulder, his chest heaving as he tried to hold back his tears.

Twenty-five minutes later the other four appeared.

"Sabeen... at last we've made it," said Shashen'Ka as she approached her then knelt and kissed her hand.

"No time for that...you studied the plans?"

"Yes."

"We have to storm it—I go first, Tara and Bill flank me, then you and Victor; Julian and Eric bring up the rear. Are we ready?"

"Yes!" they all say in unison.

"Let's go..." Sabeen says as she leads them all from the ridge and down into the valley.


	81. Greetings

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 81 Greetings

Sabeen led them down the mountainside and within seconds had traversed the lush green grounds and up the bricked drive of the main entrance; there was no security about and only a few cars parked in the small lot in front, which was odd for the beginning of the peak season. She stopped them just under the flagged portico.

"It looks like the damn White House," Tara whispered her amazement.

"It's ten years older than the White House, actually," Sabeen whispered back at her. "Don't be surprised if we find no one in the lobby—I hear absolutely no movement inside—whatever human guests are here have been most-likely glamoured out of the way. We make our way through the lobby and to the bunker—" Sabeen felt her cell phone vibrate and took it out to check her message. "Ah, I've been waiting for this...Shashen'Ka..."

"Yes?"

"Look at this and pass it around..." she handed her cell phone to her showing an updated floor plan. "There are three more entrances to the grounds from the bunker...do you see them?"

"Yes...is this plan accurate?"

"Stolen directly from the lawyers office of the current owner this very minute, yes," Sabeen smiled at her.

Shashen'Ka passed the phone to Victor, who perused it and then passed it to the others. "They need coverage, yes?"

"Yes—you, Bill and Julian," she said as she took back her phone. "Let no one escape—every minion of Octavian's here tonight must die, understood?" They all nodded affirmatively at her. "Good, go," she dispatched them and turned somberly to Eric. "You've all seen the floor plans but they were the originals; there were eighteen dormitories here, a power plant, medical and communications facilities—I've never been here before and don't know how the Authority may have reconfigured the bunker when they took it over in 1994. This is it, Eric. We are heading to the West tunnel door—prepare yourself."

"I'm ready," he told her quietly.

Sabeen, Victor, Eric and Tara entered the lobby and found absolutely no one in sight, human or vampire. With their preternatural speed they raced through the lobby and on to the tunnel entrance where they found an exhibition gallery heralding their approach to the blast door.

"Alright then," Sabeen said to no one in particular as she concentrated on the huge steel blast door; the others saw it slowly begin to open. To their horror a corpse came into view hanging from the eight-foot concrete ceiling; the long expanse of the well-lit tunnel illuminated, unforgivingly, every inch of the charred, bloody lump of the smoking remnant of a body. With great labor and to their further shock, the thing began to speak.

"Eric..." she said hoarsely.

"Nora?" He made to go to her and cut her down.

"No...live...blast bombs...clus...ter..." she managed to get out.

"What?" he said disbelievingly as he continued heading for her.

"No, Eric, stop!" said Sabeen behind him. "She's been rigged—see the bombs through the mess of mesh? If you touch her she'll blow—between the silver mail on her body and the contents of those bombs we'll be obliterated..." she warned him.

"VALERIUS!" Eric yelled out the name in blood-curdling, tortured anguish.

Tara had never met Nora but her cold dead heart went out to them both as she rushed Eric to try and pull him back; although she could not move him he did allow himself to take refuge in her compassionate and supportive hug.

"Be still, everyone..." Sabeen hissed as she concentrated her mind on the first bomb that she could see, embedded in what was left of Nora's neck; she extracted the bomb slowly as they could all hear the squishy sound of Nora's deteriorated flesh giving up its explosive parasite, almost unwillingly, as Sabeen struggled to exorcise it as gently as possible to keep it from detonating. When she had successfully done so she let it hang in the air as she gave a heavy sigh and cleared her mind. "Nora darling, I know you don't know how many there are, but can you at least guess?" she asked her gently.

"Covered..." she struggled to moan out, "hope...less...bunker...be...low...leave...me..." she said at last.

"No!" Eric shouted out.

"Eric, be calm...everyone, be calm. Nora, I can get them all, it will just take time—we're not leaving you. Now say no more."

"Sabeen, we don't have that much time," Victor said delicately. "He knows we're here—when he doesn't hear the explosion..."

"I know, Victor, please bear with me...I do have a plan..."

"Well, no disrespect but please tell it to me?"

"Come here," she directed him. When he approached she whispered in his ear.

"Understood," he said simply as he went and gathered Tara and Eric to him to whisper her plan in turn to them as Sabeen began to work on the next bomb lodged between Nora's breasts.

Ten grueling minutes later Sabeen had extracted four more bombs from Nora's piteous body, all of them hovering in the air as if awaiting command. Sabeen stretched out one hand like a knife and directed it at the silver chain hoisted from the ceiling attached to the collar around Nora's frail neck; she gently severed the silver chain as she sliced at the air. With her other hand , held palm-up as if Nora was nestled within its gentle grasp, she simultaneously floated her through the air and out past the blast door then through the gallery.

Victor, Tara and Eric knelt upon the floor, just behind the blast door and waited as Sabeen ushered her charge out to the grounds where she would finish removing the remaining bombs from Nora's body. The seconds ticked away, then minutes. They heard the tramp of footsteps coming from far away down the tunnel.

"Fuck!" Eric cried out in desperation. "She's not going to..."

Before he could finish his sentence and just as Valerius' vampire soldiers came into view, advancing through the tunnel towards them, the five bombs came alive is if they had minds of their own, jettisoned down the tunnel towards their enemies and then detonated. It was evident to Victor then that the blast bombs contained napalm and silver nails as he watched the first wave of a dozen or so vampires go down.

"Get ready..." Victor muttered under his breath at Tara and Eric as they saw the next wave of undead soldiers rushing down the tunnel at vampire speed towards them.

The first vampire that came at Tara had a laser pointed at her head; she ducked and did a foot block to his shin, greatly surprising and angering him; when she came up she did an outside block with her left forearm and knocked his rifle out of his hand and finished him off with a knife hand strike between the eyes; with her other ripped his heart right out of his chest.

Victor was holding his own and had taken out four or five soldiers, himself, while Eric had easily confiscated a weapon and blasted several others to their True Death. When the last soldier was felled the three regrouped and surveyed the carnage around them.

"Round two, comrades. Ready for round three?" Victor asked of them both.

"I can't believe he didn't send more," said Eric.

"There are more. We must find the way below—it will be worse than what we've encountered thus far, of that you can be sure," Victor said.

Out on the entrance grounds Sabeen was still delicately extricating bombs from Nora's body when a another vampire appeared suddenly next to her. Without looking at him she smiled with great relief.

" Antanas..."

"Yes, I am quite happy to see you, as well, _mielasis_," said the distinguished-looking male vampire crouching beside her. He had been a human of fifty-five years when he was turned and his short dark feathered hair was dusted with grey, as well as his neat long mustache; his face, menacing and ruggedly handsome, completely stoic and seemingly humorless melted into a whole other visage as he looked upon Sabeen, still concentrating intently on the wounded vampire hovering in the air enduring her telekinetic surgery.

"Thank you for the updated floor plan..." she said after she removed yet another bomb.

"I have your back...don't let me distract you—and you know you are more than welcomed," he told her as he stood up to survey the grounds for any hint of movement or possible attack.

"Nora, darling, this is the last one..." Sabeen told her soothingly.

Antanas looked up at the bombs hovering in the air and counted them silently. "Ten—is that all of them?"

"Yes—I removed five before I brought her out here..."

"You're saving them, yes?"

"Oh yes..." she assured him through gritted teeth. "Nora, this is the last thing—I'm removing the mail now—it's going to hurt, dear..."

There was no other way to do the deed and Sabeen ripped the metal garment from her quickly. Nora screamed out as more burned flesh ripped away from her body with it.

"Good girl. Until we can find some humans for you you will have to take our blood," Sabeen said as she lowered Nora down to her; she gashed her wrist with her fingernail and then held it up to Nora's mouth, her jaw bone holding on barely by the triangularis muscle; she let her fangs find the flowing blood. "Good, drink more..." she instructed her. "I'm going to leave you with Antanas to heal. Stop now..." she took her wrist away. "I must go back in, Nora. You said there is another bunker below?"

"Yes, the true Authority headquarters. Octavian killed Claude...drank him..." Nora whispered at her.

"Ah, so he's got a little fairy buzz going...which also means he can escape temporarily into the day. Thank you, dear. Get better. Antanas?"

"Yes?"

"Take her away from here."

"No, that was not the plan, Sabeen. With more blood she'll heal—she can stay to fight. I'm not leaving you."

"She's been through enough for one night, Antanas, please secure her somewhere away from here, at least."

"That I can do and I will return," he promised her. His twinkling grey eyes locked on to hers and said all that his mouth and time would not allow.

"Alright then, I must go," she said finally as she turned and disappeared from them both, the ten bombs in the air sailing behind her then invisible body like pets on a leash.

When Sabeen returned to the tunnel she found her three comrades at the other end of it.

"Very good. Eric, she will be fine—a friend has taken her to a safe place and will return to fight with us. I lead now, and be careful of my little friends..." she motioned to the bombs in the air behind her.

When they entered the bunker the task at hand was to find the entrance to the level below. Victor checked the medical and dental operating rooms.

"Nothing here!" he called out.

Tara checked the power plant, looking thoroughly at the walls and the empty twenty-five thousand gallon water tanks for secret doors.

"Nothing here!" she called out.

Eric was in the communications room, checking the control panels and punching buttons, then felt along the walls for any hint of a secret activation switch or hidden door. He found another panel of defunct controls on the wall and started pressing buttons. Suddenly in the power plant a door slid open on the middle storage tank to reveal an elevator where Tara was just about to exit from.

"What the fuck?" she muttered to herself. "In here! In here! Everybody, come here!" she called out to them.

"So that's it..." said Sabeen to them all. "I want to send a greeting first...and also an assurance that we can get back through." She sailed the bombs into the elevator.

"Wait, Sabeen, we don't know what's down there. What if our seven comrades are on the other side of the door—it is the kind of thing Valerius would do," Victor said as he took her by the arm to stop her.

"Damn it, you're right. Then I go with them, children."

"Sabeen!" Victor gave her arm a hard tug then, which was useless. Sabeen entered the elevator and forced the door closed behind her.


	82. Reality Check

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 82 Reality Check

While the battle was about to begin in West Virginia, the citizens of Bon Temps were winding down for the night.

Jason, greatly relieved that Timbo and Becky had come home every day with big smiles on their faces and happy reports about each new day at school, had taken the whole family and Maxine Fortenberry out to dinner at Merlotte's to celebrate the week. It had been a typical bustling Friday night and the joint was already jumping off by eight p.m. When Hoyt came in he joined them; the tension between him and his mother seemed a thing of the past; he had even made up the difference his mother was lacking in move-in fees and had also paid the deposit on the apartment she wanted to get into.

"She sure is a cute little somethin', ain't she Jason?" Hoyt asked him as he held little Michelle in his arms.

"She sure is," beamed Jason.

Hoyt reached a hand across the table and took his mother's hand into it. "And so is little Michelle..." he smiled at his mother. Maxine blushed her thanks at him.

"Well, hey now," said Jason approvingly as he realized the bonding moment he was witnessing between his best friend and Maxine.

"Momma, you excited about getting into your own place in two weeks?"

"Oh, honey, you know I am. I'm gonna miss you but I know this is really a wonderful thing for us both. Thank you so much for..."

"No, momma—thank you so much."

"Oh, Hoyt...I love you, honey."

"Right back at ya, woman."

Jason looked away from them then and over at his own kids, who were at the old jukebox picking out songs together; Timbo was coming out of his shell more with each new day; Becky had already found herself a nice girlfriend to hang out with. He was finally at a point where he believed everything, was really going to be alright.

They had parted fairly early—before nine pm—and left the more rousing activity to the rest of the crowd. By eleven that night all of the kids had been put to bed. Jason sat in his living room for a long while contentedly, enjoying the soundtrack of silence as the background music spiriting him on to the end of his day. He thought of Sookie and wondered what she might be doing—they hadn't talked in days. He thought of calling her but it was going on past midnight. He gave himself over to a mighty yawn and a languid stretch and got up from his recliner to head on in for bed; he decided that whatever she might be doing he would let her be and call her first thing in the morning. He looked in on all of the kids as they slept and then tip-toed to bed, happier and more at peace than he had been in a long, long while.

* * *

><p>Back at Merlotte's Holly was finishing out her night. At two a.m. she was in Sam's office counting up the receipts and balancing the cash drawers. Tommy poked his head through the door.<p>

"Hey, boss, I'm out."

"Hey Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for all your help behind the bar."

"My pleasure," he smiled at her.

Just then they heard Jolene calling out and both cut their eyes in the direction of her sing-song voice.

"Tommy? Come on, honey..."

Tommy gave Holly a knowing look then as their eyes met again. "Really, my pleasure..."

"Oh you—guess I don't have to tell you to have a good night. Get on outta here," she smiled at him. Tommy gave her a wink and was gone.

Thirty minutes later she had the night's take bagged up and in the safe then headed out to turn off all the lights. The rest of the staff was gone; Holly checked the front door to make sure it was locked tight and then went to the back and exited and locked that door. She headed tiredly to her car. When she got to it she found Andy standing there.

"I don't like you here so late all alone, Holly." Holly just looked at him. After a long uncomfortable silence she finally spoke to him.

"It doesn't really matter much what you like at this point, now does it? Move out of the way, Andy, I'm tired and I just want to go home."

"Holly, I can explain myself—we need to talk."

"I'm glad you said it and not me," she told him angrily.

"I deserve your anger, Holly, I know that. Can we please go somewhere and talk? Please?" he begged her, still managing to maintain an air of dignity and making it obvious that he was holding himself accountable to her; everything about his tone and demeanor touched her. The last time he had spoken to her in such a way was the night of Samhain, when he'd come clean about his V addiction and apologized for his behavior towards her. She found herself again wanting to just melt into his big old bear hug, but she held back on general principle.

"Well, where do you suggest we go?"

"Come with me to my Grandmama's—you know my place is private," he suggested.

"No."

"No?" Andy was instantly worried that he had lost her for good.

"As bone-tired as I am and sick of this place at this particular moment, I think we need to talk it out right now. Come on...inside, Andy Bellefleur." She turned and headed back towards the restaurant as he eagerly followed.

* * *

><p>"You owe me a story, darlin'..."<p>

"You owe me a week to recuperate..." she said as she nuzzled into him.

Sam chuckled lightly.

"What story?"

"The one about your ex-boyfriend's jacket," he reminded her as he pulled her tighter into his embrace.

"Really? Ex talk in bed? I hate that..." Zola complained as she looked up into his eyes.

"I believe your words were that I would feel silly once you told me—make me feel silly," he coaxed her gently as he traced the back of his hand gingerly down her neck and then to the swell of her breast.

"It's kind of a a long story..."

"I'm listening."

"Well, you know my parents were both born and raised in Bon Temps," she began in earnest.

"Your parents?"

"I told you this was a long story, now shut up," she scolded him playfully. "You can imagine my grandmother's shock when my father brought my mother home—that old witch gave witches a bad name. Anyway, after she cursed my father and mother both out they left Bon Temps for sunny California. In the meantime, my grandfather, Jack Camp, got tired of his crazy wife—he was a dock worker and spent a lot of time away and the old bitch had been abusing my aunt Evelyn all of her life. Granddaddy wouldn't take it anymore, especially with my daddy gone—not that his presence had helped my auntie much. So granddaddy left her and took a job as a butcher at the meat market so he could be around for Evelyn. Meanwhile, my parents lost themselves in the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco and did the hippie thing together for six or seven years. Finally I came along, but I was a 'late baby'..."

"A 'late baby'? What the hell is that?" Sam asked, more than intrigued.

"A child born to a woman late in life—my mother was forty-five when she had me. The Eighties were looming on the horizon and my father took off before I was born. My granddaddy liked my mom a lot and was really pissed when my dad left her, especially the way he did. He came to California and brought my auntie every chance he got; as I grew up he became more of a father to me than a grandfather, even though we lived miles apart. My mother had a bit of a substance abuse problem, though, and during her worst periods she'd ship me off to granddaddy's house. I always hated coming back to California when she'd clean up and send for me. Anyway, she moved us to L. A. and that was slightly better, but only because my mom finally got herself a decent job. So now I'm about to graduate from high school, I'm partying like crazy—practicing for college—and generally just worrying the hell out of my mother, which I felt she deserved."

Sam laughed lightly.

"So granddaddy was always concerned about us being two women living alone: a semi-retired wild child and a wild child in training. So he'd always have some security tip or ten before he left after his frequent visits with us. You know, he always had a new lock for the door or some hardware to jam the windows from inside with; an unhealthy amount of legal and illegal mace—you get the picture. Well, on one of his visits I was in real party mode but I was always coming home alone late at night. He never judged or questioned me, but one night he was waiting up for me at the door. I was in some crazy get-up—a big, bushy ponytail cascading under a circus top hat with a big 'ol sunflower stuck on the front; spandex biker shorts, a bra and combat boots—feel me?"

Sam laughed out loud.

"He just looked at me funny and then took off his old houndstooth blazer. I thought he was going to cover me up. He led me to my car in the garage and had me unlock it. He opened the door and hung the jacket on the back of the driver's seat, then locked and closed the door. 'Honey,' he said in his thick Southern drawl, 'you's runnin' 'round town like a haint, child, out here all alone—always make 'em think they's a man around ya—keep this jacket hung up here—jus might save yo life, gal.' The way I was looking, truer words had never been spoken. So anyway, I kept that jacket for a long time before I replaced it with another—I still have that old jacket..." Zola said, the love still evident in her voice. "I would just replace it with newer houndstooth blazers; after I graduated from college I'd spend a little money on them and get them from department stores instead of thrift shops. I like to think that it was an effective little trick. Fast forward to a few years ago. I met my boyfriend and the first thing he asked me was if that was really my dad's Celica I was driving around town in. 'Mid-life crisis, anyone?' he asked me. So I told him my story and he told me I needed to totally update my shit," Zola chuckled at the memory. "He didn't own anything other than leather jackets and he had one to spare. And that's it—just an old decoy jacket; not a remnant of a lost love I can't let go of or anything like that. Don't you feel silly now?"

"Only slightly. You still need to get rid of it."

"I can do that, Mr. Merlotte. Anything else I can do for you?"

"I can think of a couple of things..." Sam said as he came in for a kiss.

* * *

><p>"Andy, why didn't you just tell me when it happened?" Holly asked him after she'd heard his story. They sat in a booth facing each other under a lone lamp lit in the restaurant.<p>

"I felt guilty, Holly. Besides, I was doing fine until she showed up at my meeting."

"Andy, I could have helped you—I know a thing or two about fairies." Holly knew right away who the 'friend' was that Sam called upon to help them with Maurella. "I can understand the first time, Andy; I can forgive that. But damn, practically a whole week together—and I know you made love with her again."

"I won't lie, yes I did," Andy owned up to the truth. "Uh, how do you know that?" he asked nervously.

"I told you that I know a thing or two about fairies, Andy. She was lost and desperate; fairies bind you to them by making you promise them something and they usually seal the deal with sex," Holly told him matter-of-factly.

"Well then, you understand? We can get past this? Please tell me we can get past this..." he implored her.

"Right now I don't know what to tell you. It's gonna take me some time to figure that out," she said honestly. "I appreciate your honesty, Andy, I really do; but this is a strange, crazy, magnificent world we live in and if we're going to have any kind of relationship at all we can't keep secrets from one another—we have to have trust, Andy. I know you're a good man through and through, but you can't ever let anything like this happen again...why, how would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot?"

Andy looked away from her. "I wouldn't like it at all," he admitted.

"No, you wouldn't. We're gonna have our trials, honey..." she said softly as she leaned across the table and put her hand to his chin and made him look back to meet her gaze. "My boys alone will make you grow your hair back just so it can go grey..." she half-joked. It was just the ice-breaker need to bring a loving smile back on Andy's face.

"Holly, I..."

"Shhh..." she put a finger to his lips. "I'm gonna pray to the Goddess about all of this, Andy; I want you to search your heart and do some prayin' about this, yourself; you're taking on an awful lot with me and I know my boys are more than a handful. We've got to be real honest with each other and with ourselves about where we really want this relationship to go. So let's take a little time apart to really be sure about just that, okay?"

"You're breaking up with me..." Andy said dejectedly.

"No, I'm not. Just think of it as a reality check—there's absolutely nothing wrong with standing back from yourself sometimes and being nothing less than brutally honest with yourself about yourself. We're doing a big favor to ourselves as well as each other. Do you understand what I'm sayin'?"

"Sure...I get it. How long, Holly?"

"As long as it takes. We'll both know when the time is right to talk it all over again," she reassured him. "Now come on...walk me to my car and let's both get ourselves home?" Andy nodded and rose to leave with her.

At her car Andy held out his arms to give her a hug and was happy when she held out her own to him. They hugged each other tightly.

"Goodbye, Holly," he said sadly when they broke away from each other.

"Not goodbye, Andy...just goodnight," she told him sweetly.

"Goodnight," he smiled down at her. Holly got into her car and drove off. Andy choked back his tears as he got into his own car and headed home.

* * *

><p>"Well, I don't know—I imagine maybe some of them made their way back to their own homes—it's what I would have done if I was half-human and had any people that I could go back to..." said Maurella in answer to Sookie's question about the possible whereabouts of the hybrids that Claude had lost in the jump from Faery.<p>

They were sitting in Alcide's kitchen where Sookie had made a pot of tea for them both. They could both hear Alcide snoring from the couch in his living room.

"He loves you..." Maurella said as she looked to sound of his fitful sleeping from the other room.

"And I love him, but not like that," Sookie said uncomfortably.

"You don't have to explain to me, Sookie; the attraction others feel for us—it's a blessing and a curse. The responsibility is on us not to abuse it. I have been more than guilty of just that with poor Andy."

"Well, don't be so hard on yourself, Maurella—it was a roundabout, awkward way but it finally brought us together," she said brightly.

"Yes, you are right. Thank you for all of your help, Sookie."

"Well, I haven't done much besides scare you to death with all of my friends..." Both women chuckled.

"Maybe so, but you have provided me with safe haven and more than that, the opportunity to be with someone who understands me. That means everything to me right now, Sookie, not feeling alone—not being alone."

"Uh, ladies?" Alcide said as he hung at the entryway, "you've got the run of the house—I need to go get some real sleep and resume my snore-fest behind closed doors," he said, slightly embarrassed.

"Thanks, Alcide. Sleep tight," Sookie smiled up at him.

"Yes, thank you so much, Alcide." Maurella smiled up at him as well, but he noticed that her face was still full of worry.

"Okay, then..." he left them. Just then Sookie's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

Alcide popped his head back through the entryway.

"Sookie, it's Jessica..."

"Hey!"

"Sookie, I haven't heard from Bill or Tara in days—I'm freaking out over here..." said Jessica frantically. "I'm sorry to call you so late, but I just got back..."

"Back? Back from where?"

"Dallas—I work with Blackburn now—I have a job!"

"Oh wow, that's great, honey..." Sookie looked up at Alcide who was pantomiming wildly from the entryway his silent question as to who she was talking to. "Jessica..." she said to him.

"Yeah?"

"No, honey, Alcide was asking me who I'm talking to."

"Alcide? He's at your house right now?"

"No, I'm at his..."

"Sookie, what the hell is going on?" Jessica asked her exasperatedly.

"Uh..."

"Sookie? You know something—spit it out..." Jessica demanded. Sookie felt like she was between a rock and a hard place; if Eric had told Ginger what was going down she would have done the same for Jessica, but her understanding was that no other vampires were to know anything just yet. She was torn between honoring his unspoken edict and giving Jessica the reassurance she desperately needed.

"I don't know what to do," she said to Alcide and Maurella after she had placed her hand over her phone.

"Sookie, I can hear you! What's going on?" came Jessica's muffled voice over the phone.

"They're back from Minsk..."

"What? When did they get in?"

"About five hours ago, now..."

"Five hours? Why didn't they call me? Are they alright?"

"They got here just fine..."

"Sookie, I know you're not telling me everything—I can hear it in your voice."

"Is Blackburn with you?"

"Sookie, don't..." warned Alcide.

"No, I'm home alone, why?"

"Sookie..." he said, his tone angrier.

"Damn it, I can't talk to two people at once!" Sookie cried out as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and tried to think.

"What?" came Jessica's confused voice.

"Jessica, call Ginger...Eric checked in with her as soon as he got here..." That was the truth. "She can really tell you more than I can, right now," That was a lie, but a necessary one.

"Yeah? I'm gonna do that," said Jessica in a threatening tone, "and if she doesn't have some real news for me you're gonna be sorry..."

"Jessica, don't be..."

"Goodbye, Sookie." The line went dead.

"Oh sweet Jesus..." Sookie sighed heavily, "I think you'll be meeting another vampire soon, Maurella."

* * *

><p>"What is it?" Blackburn asked her when she hung up, alarmed at her anger.<p>

"I don't fucking know, but I damn sure intend to find out," Jessica said as she dialed Ginger's number.


	83. A Kink In The Cog

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 83 A Kink In The Cog

"We should call the others...check in while we still have time..." suggested Tara to Victor and Eric.

"Yes...you're right—do that..." said Victor as he kept his concentration locked firmly on the storage tank Sabeen had disappeared in to; Eric nodded at her as he stood at the ready against any further attack upon them.

"Shashen'Ka?"

"Tara, what's going on in there?"

"Sabeen just went down a level to Authority headquarters—we found the entrance but we don't know what's waiting for us down there...she's armed with bombs..."

"Bombs? Where did she..."

"I'll tell you later—what's going on where you are?"

"Absolutely nothing...no activity at all—I feel wasted back here—we should be with you..."

"My sentiments, exactly, girlfriend, but I guess you'll know to breach those entrances if you hear an explosion and then we'll meet up..."

"I understand. Did you find Nora?"

"Yeah, we found her..."

"Is she alright?"

"She is now...Sabeen saved her and had her taken away to safety."

"Taken away? By whom?"

"A friend that's coming back to fight with us, that's all I know. How far away from the others are you? Can you see each other?"

"No, but I'll relay the message and we'll remain in position until anything dictates otherwise," Shashen'Ka assured her.

"Okay, thanks, Shashen'Ka, and be careful."

"You too, comrade." The women rang off.

"Have they seen anything?" asked Eric of Tara.

"No, nothing."

"What the hell is going on down there?" Victor asked furiously of no one in particular as he paced back and forth before the invisible entrance to the tank.

* * *

><p>"Sabeen."<p>

"Octavian."

Sabeen had exited the elevator ready to hurl the bombs behind her at whatever she dared to find facing her. When the door opened she saw only his lone, tall figure, his arms crossed over his broad chest in imperious defiance and a smirk upon his handsome, sinister face.

"I'm sorry all of your efforts have been so elegantly wasted, Old One."

Sabeen only smiled at him. "And what will that make you when I'm gone, Octavian?"

"The true leader of my kind; the usher of a new era of enlightenment, representing all that is progressive and correct."

Sabeen laughed out loud. "You are as delusional as ever, Octavian." He bristled noticeably at her misplaced humor.

"Even I find nothing about your predicament funny, Sabeen—or had you forgotten that you are in one?"

"What is the purpose of all of this bloodshed, Octavian? The course has been set..." she began seriously.

"Bloodshed is the crux of our very existence, Sabeen. And since when has positive change for any race, any serious political endeavor, any true fight against tyranny not involved bloodshed?"

"Tyranny? Really, Octavian?" she asked him incredulously.

"Yes, tyranny. That we should bend our will, subjugate our true selves to appease humans? Tyranny, yes. The 'course' was destined to run afoul of its intended destination from its inception. At least once, honestly admit that the very idea of mainstreaming is an abomination where it concerns our race."

"There is the possibility for a happy medium..."

"Tru Blood?" he spat at her. "Bullshit. And whole nations of European vampires beg to differ, as well, or had you forgotten that this American Authority endeavor is all just a trial run...a test case—a fucking pilot program? All vampires are not following the same edict and more American vampires than not wish to abandon the constraints of mainstreaming and be free to be what they are, as well. What? You have nothing to say now?"

"It was voted upon democratically, Octavian; every vampire in the Americas was represented. It is you that have stirred the pot of contention for the purpose of your own selfish desires. Who do you really speak for? Who have you ever truly spoken for? No one but yourself," she leveled at him almost kindly.

"True. And I have outdone myself on this one, Old One. You know that Claude is no more."

"Yes."

"Now, ask me why—please, indulge me just a moment," he invited her amiably.

"Alright, why?"

"Because the silly little bastard really did hit upon the correct formula for an additive to Tru Blood."

Sabeen looked askance at him, disbelieving of what she was hearing. "How do you know this? Everything we heard was very much to the contrary..."

"I've been on to him ever since he first approached Pasteur." He let that fact sink into her consciousness.

"Pasteur came to the Authority excitedly over a year ago, unbeknownst to Claude, singing the praises of a derivative of hybrid fairy blood that would be easy to mass produce with little impact to the Fae community. He and Claude were so very excited. I had my people throw a monkey wrench in the results and convinced the Authority that they should not approach Queen Mab until Pasteur's results were absolutely conclusive. The longer it took Pasteur to achieve such results, the more the Authority began to dismiss the entire idea as little more than a joke and a complete waste of time. The whole endeavor was officially abandoned and Claude became desperate. He abducted Pasteur and forced him to continue working on it. With the help of my own double agents I made it possible for the set up of the Landstuhl operation to keep tabs on them both. About that time you sent your team to Germany and Claude hit upon another breakthrough all on his own, being quite the alchemist in his own right. He didn't have any better sense than to come and try to present it to me. Pasteur knows nothing about it and now he never will. No one will."

"And there it is. Real progress, a true positive solution, dead in the water because of what? The selfish wishes of one megalomaniac," Sabeen said, disgustedly.

"I am not delusional, Sabeen. But I am truly powerful, in more ways than one..." he cast his gaze upon the elevator; Sabeen knew immediately what he meant to do; she turned to face the elevator and screamed at it with her preternatural voice loud enough for her warning to echo mutedly up the shaft to the three above, then sped away from it as the bombs inside detonated.

* * *

><p>"Fuck!" yelled out Victor who was closest to the tank and heard her warning; he turned quickly and grabbed Tara and Eric and raced away with them out of the room; the blast tore the tank to smithereens and the force propelled them rest out of the way out of the room and away from each other as burning metal rained down upon them and pipes gone projectile shot every which way throughout the room. Victor caught a steel pipe through his left thigh and lay moaning in a heap just outside the entrance door to the storage room; Tara had been blasted into a wall and struggled to peel herself from the floor; Eric had taken off in a burst of flight and gotten successfully out of the way. He raced back to his friends to help them. He helped Tara up and then went to Victor and removed the pipe from his leg with a forceful yank.<p>

"Are you alright, Victor?" he asked him urgently.

"It will heal," he grunted.

"Tara?"

"I'm okay," she said as her body slowly pushed out several shards of metal from between her shoulder blades and the backs of her thighs.

"Can you walk?" Eric asked her then.

"In a minute, yeah," she groaned.

From their posts Bill, Shashen'Ka and Julian not only heard the explosion but felt it and ripped through their respective entrances then raced through the compound to find their wounded friends still trying to recover. Shashen'Ka went to the burned out storage room and could see the bunker below through the hull of the blasted-out middle tank. She looked past the severed elevator cables, live and still sparking, down to the room below but saw and heard no one from where she stood.

"Sabeen?" she asked of Eric.

"I don't know—she was down there for quite some time before the bombs went off..."

She went to Victor then and knelt at his side. "Can you walk yet? Victor?"

"I'm alright, _Tabah_—you need to find Sabeen and see if the seven are still..."

"Yes, I know...alright—Julian, stay with them until they are completely healed—Bill, Eric...let's go..."

The three of them went carefully through the breached shaft and found Sabeen quickly, lodged under a sheet of metal, studded with silver nails. The three of them lifted if off her body carefully.

"That was close, thank you, children..." she said as Eric then helped her up. "I tried to fly but there was nowhere to fly to—where are Tara, Julian and Victor?" she asked them then, more that worried.

"Above—Tara and Victor are healing from shrapnel," Shashen'Ka told her.

"Octavian has been keeping many secrets—he has developed the power of telekinesis—it explains the lack of a larger presence of soldiers...this is not good—I hadn't counted on such a thing. We must find the seven but it's really not safe for any of you—he can kill you with just a thought. He couldn't wait to show me, the bastard."

"Is your friend telekinetic, as well?" Bill asked her.

"I'm afraid not. It's going to be all I can do now to get you safely out of here..." she lamented as she closed her eyes, searching wildly and silently for a solution to their dilemma. "You must all leave—you're no match for him with that power, especially if he takes me out. I must get you all out and try to get the seven myself or find another telekinetic and come back. First thing is first...come on..."

"But Sabeen, we're so close," began Shashen'Ka desperately.

"Yes, close to death, all of us. He could be anywhere, watching—I have more to tell you but we must get out of here, we must go above and retrieve the others—no time for more words—go!" she ordered them.

Sabeen got them safely out of the hotel; as they shot past the grounds another vampire came upon them and she prepared to send a blast of energy at him.

"Sabeen! It's me!"

She looked past her fear and saw that it was Antanas. "Come with us to the ridge, quickly..." she told him and took off with her charges for the mountains. When they got safely there Antanas gave her a reassuring hug.

"What has happened, _mielasis_?" Antanas asked her gently.

"Charles Bronson is one of us, too?" asked Tara of Bill under her breath.

"Thank you for the compliment, but I am not him—I am Antanas Valinsky, at your service, lovely one," he said as he looked around Sabeen and gave Tara a wink.

"Excuse me, children—I think you can see that I'm a bit shaken. Do not doubt that he allowed us to leave and is basking in smug congratulations of himself," Sabeen told them all. "Antanas, he is telekinetic."

"Ahh..." he said in complete understanding of the situation at hand. "Changes the playing field drastically."

"Yes, it does. But we must get away from here now—I need to think of what to do next...I would stay and commandeer the seven in the morning, but Octavian has consumed Claude—I'd be back at square one...besides, I have no human team in place to help..."

Antanas had never seen his calm, cool Sabeen at such a loss. She took took note of the look in eyes as he gazed at her and seemed to read his mind.

"There is so very much at stake, Antanas, you know that," she said softly.

"I know, _mielasis_, but dawn is approaching—all of you—come with me..."


	84. Until Further Notice

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 84 Until Further Notice

Minutes later Antanas had them at a non-descript little white ranch house in Maxwetlon nestled far back off the main road and down a lane rendered almost invisible by a thick copse of sugar maple, linden and princess trees; he ushered them through the first floor and then down to the basement quarters.

"There are more than enough cubbies for everyone," he told them as they each took a seat in the ample den area. "Nora is here, Eric, just down that hallway if you'd like to go see her—second door on the right."

Eric nodded his thanks and left them.

"Everybody should really be here, Antanas..." Sabeen began urgently. "We need to brainstorm and we have less than an hour..."

"Give them a moment—she's recuperating nicely and she should be well enough to join us. Does anyone need anything? I have Tru Blood..." he offered.

Tara hated the stuff but was starving. "May I have one please?"

"Certainly—anyone else?" Bill and Julian both nodded reluctantly as they others declined. Antanas left them momentarily and came back with three Tru Bloods as well as with Eric and Nora, who was still badly scarred and but healing. Bill, Julian and Shashen'Ka still had not heard what happened to her but kept their questions to themselves as they each greeted her warmly. When everyone was settled Antanas looked at Sabeen. "Alright, _mielasis,_ you have have the floor."

Sabeen relayed what she had learned from Valerius about Claude and the power he had been hiding from them all which had taken her so completely by surprise.

"He was actually able to synthesize the fairy blood successfully?" Bill asked, totally amazed, his shock mirrored by all of the others in the room.

"Yes, but that secret died with him."

"You absolutely know no other telekinetic vampires?" Tara asked her.

"The wise vampire does not flaunt their extra-special abilities as a matter of public record, Tara, even less so to other vampires. I can only speak for myself when I tell you that my power is not one I even enjoy using, because when I do it means that something dire and unpleasant is going on."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be callous or disrespectful..."

"No, dear, it was an honest question, I quite understand. I'm more than open to suggestions for help in this situation from any of you."

"In light of this new development it is apparent that we need weapons, for starters..." said Victor.

"That's an understatement," said Eric sarcastically under his breath before he could catch himself. He looked at Victor in apology. "No offense..." he offered. Victor only grunted.

"I think it's safe to assume that Ridley and the others have been taken to another location," said Nora quietly from her seat next to Eric. "He means to parade them in front of the global vampire community and show that the American Authority is powerless and dead; he wants to show his constituents proof of his greatness as a leader who stands behind his promises and delivers. The bunker was a trap, plain and simple," she said angrily, visibly upset at herself for being so easily duped. "I knew he didn't trust me but he played me like a cheap fucking violin..." she rose from her seat and began to pace the room agitatedly. "I let them down... I let you all down..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Nora; Octavian is a master manipulator—even I was foolish enough to underestimate him. There is nothing to blame yourself for...there's simply no time for that—we must come up with Plan B, now...understand?" Sabeen said firmly.

"Yes...yes... you're right..." Nora said as she came back to herself.

"Several factors make me want to go back while the sun is up: I need some sort of confirmation that either he's still there or he's not; I'm used to staying up during the day—even though he's had a fix of fairy blood it takes more than one fairy to enable an Ancient the ability to withstand a long period of time in the sun...when he escaped his enemies in Italy all those years ago he had the blood of three fairies—and he was younger. He may have consumed Claude completely, but the effects wear off quickly and the threat of the sun nullifies the threat of his telekinetic power against me—I could take him much easier. Of course, it goes without saying that extra back-up would be the optimal and desired strategy to help me achieve that, but I just might be able to pull it off."

"Lots of problems with that idea, _mielasis_, and all of them risky," Antanas began circumspectly. "You don't know for sure that the effect of Claude's blood is a weak as you hope; you don't know how much of an army Octavian really has at his disposal—you need more reinforcements, vampire and human. You don't really know for sure that the Authority members haven't, in fact, already met the True Death—he might just as well be happy to show a recorded execution as a live one; whether they have or haven't met their fate, I believe Nora's suspicion that Octavian has moved to an entirely different location to be true—wherever he is he's set up and ready to move forward."

"But Nora saw them herself—what time was that, Nora?" Sabeen asked her.

"Right at sundown..."

"And it was almost midnight by the time we all got here, Sabeen...plenty of time for Valerius to have had them taken somewhere else," Eric pointed out.

"I do know that he's hacked into everything: all North American communications satellites and the Emergency Alert system; he's already more than familiar with the Authority's closed circuit television system and he has a live feed set up, as well. I know he wanted to televise his stupid trial first...after that there's no telling what mayhem he has planned," Nora said disgustedly.

"And we should all know by now not to underestimate the method to his madness," Antanas told everyone firmly as he gave a special look at Sabeen.

"I hate to say it, but I think it is a complete waste of time to go back to Greenbrier. Let's assume the worst—they're already dead, Octavian's relocated and ready to televise his little coup d'état around the world—every vampire establishment in the nation that admits humans needs to be closed tonight; any humans that catch wind of his plans will be thrown into a panic—it would be catastrophic," Nora told them. "As a matter of fact, as the last remaining Authority member, I need to send out an official directive to that effect," Nora reasoned.

"Wouldn't Valerius have done that already? Sent out some teasing missive to let everyone know that the Authority is defunct and that he's in control?" asked Julian.

"I don't think so—he hasn't commandeered all of those communications systems to send out a warning beforehand. He means to make his agenda perfectly clear to all vampires in one fell swoop. And he doesn't care if he frightens humans...he feels no obligation to show them any diplomacy at all," said Victor.

"There's a way to find out for sure..." Tara said to them all. "Eric, call Ginger and Chow and see if anything has come down the pipeline already; Shashen'Ka, you should call Andrej and see if he's heard anything."

"That would actually be Vitaly, at this hour," said Shashen'Ka as she whipped out her phone and punched in his number.

"Tara's right—it's time to alert those closest to us and begin to amass our own troops," said Sabeen then, looking very ill at ease.

"What is it, Sabeen?" Antanas asked her quietly as the room came blazing to life in frenzied activity. Sabeen looked around the room at everyone making urgent phone calls to other vampires all over the globe.

"I don't understand what he wants; how he can possibly think that we can return to the way things were...humans know that we exist now—we're not just the stuff of folktales and fiction—it's impossible to hide behind the shadows of darkness and obscurity."

"Hiding is not part of the agenda, Sabeen, surely you must understand that much."

"How can he possibly think that humans will agree to an existence where they serve as nothing more than a food source?"

"He doesn't mean for them to 'agree' to anything, _mielasis_..." Antanas said gently as he took her worried face into his hands and placed a tender kiss upon her cheek. "As for the rest, we'll find out soon enough. Right now there are calls we should be making, as well—and it looks to me like everyone here is prepared to deal with the fact that it's going to be a long morning."

"I still feel that I should go back and check for the others...

As the others were making their calls Tara pulled Bill away from the them down to the far end of the room. Sabeen became aware suddenly that they were engaged in a quiet but heated discussion.

"Tara, no...we can not just volunteer her for such a thing," Bill said angrily. The others all looked at them, alarmed at his tone and sudden outburst.

"We need her help, Bill; she's perfected her ability; Sabeen needs another telekinetic. If you had seen her when she attacked Russell Edgington you'd shut the fuck up and be on the phone with her by now," she retorted.

"Tara? Bill? What's the problem?" asked Sabeen cautiously.

"There's only one other person I know that has your ability, Sabeen..." said Tara then.

"You're speaking of Sookie Stackhouse."

"Yes."

"Bill is right—not a good idea to involve her in this," Sabeen said.

"Julian, you were there—back me up..." Tara asked him desperately.

"She was phenomenal, Sabeen," he admitted. "She leveled a pretty impressive blow at Edgington and obliterated his entire compound with her power—she could be a help to you, at the least be a very good cover."

"Even if that were true, we do not have enough time to pull it all together...we cannot possibly get her here in time to be useful..." Bill snapped at them all.

"Yes we can," insisted Tara, "if we just stop talking and you let me at least call her." Bill looked at exasperatedly at Sabeen.

"I don't give a damn what any of you say, we should call her..." Tara whipped out her phone to do just that; Bill snatched it furiously out of her hand, much to Tara's indignant surprise.

"Bill..." came his calm quiet voice from where he sat next to Nora, "Tara is right. Sookie is stronger than you know; in spite of all that has happened to her—and quite actually because of it—she is very much attuned to the killer inside of herself and more than ready to do battle. Trust me," Eric looked at him as a chilling smile formed on his face. "Make the call, Tara..." he said, usurping Bill as he handed her his cell phone.

* * *

><p>"I'd be happy to," said Sookie simply after she heard Tara's condensed version of events, her voice clipped and angry. She thought back to her first meeting with Valerius and his threat against her; all she could envision was him exploding under the burst of combined power from herself and whoever Sabeen was; she couldn't wait to meet her and make it happen. "Just tell me how I'm supposed to get there..."<p>

"No, Sookie," said Maurella, who had listened in telepathically to her conversation and noted the pure look of rage on her face. "I'll go—I feel the need to make myself useful. I can teleport there right now. You should stay here, coordinate everyone—it's time they told the rest of the vampire's anyway—they need all the help they can get. Just tell me where they are."

"I can show you...Tara?"

"Yes?"

"Maurella is coming instead—she'll be there in a few minutes."

"What do you mean?"

"She's not a hybrid—she's a full fairy—she can teleport to you. Text me your address so I can show her where she's coming to; call me back when she gets there and then tell me what you want me to do from here."

"What? Okay...Antanas, what's the address here?"

After Sookie hung up she pulled up Google Earth and showed Maurella the map of their location on her phone.

"Alright Sookie... I've got it."

"Maurella, are you sure that you want to do this?" Sookie asked her, fully aware of the fear Maurella was bravely quelling.

"Positive. Wish us all luck."

"Good luck."

Maurella gave Sookie a kiss on the cheek and then disappeared into a ball of light.

* * *

><p>While Tara had been on the phone with Sookie, Eric called Ginger.<p>

"We've got a situation..."

"So do I—what's going on, Eric? I just had an angry call from Jessica..."

"When we're done, call her back and tell her to call Bill or Tara—they'll tell her what she needs to know. In the meantime I need to know if you or Chow have gotten any communiques or directives from the Authority or Octavian Valerius..."

"Well, no..." she said, her voice full of confusion. Hold on while I get Chow..."

"Hi, Eric—there's been nothing..." said Chow when he came in on a conference line. "But I have many contacts all over the states—I'll see if anyone knows anything in case this little news blackout is Fangtasia-specific..."

"Alright. In the meantime Fangtasia is closed until further notice," Eric directed him.

"Got it."

"Eric, after I call Jessica I'll start with Dallas, see if anyone has heard anything at Hotel Carmilla—do you want us to come to you tonight?"

"No, we don't know yet where we may be. Nora is compiling a list for us of all the other locations that the Authority has used as headquarters. Besides, you'll need to go to ground soon and other arrangements need to be made—Sookie is already in Shreveport—I'll call her to come there immediately...just tell her ..."

Just then Maurella materialized before them all as if being born from a quasar.

"Just tell her what? Eric?" asked Ginger frantically.

"Uh...I'll call you right back..."


	85. Confirmation

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 85 Confirmation

Maurella stood in the middle of the room full of vampires trying not to register her shock at the sight of them; she remembered the tall, thick, swarthy, bearded male standing protectively beside and dwarfing the little Spanish beauty next to him—Victor and Shashen'Ka, who was still speaking in quickly in Russian to someone over her phone even as she watched Maurella, both of them in awe of the manner of her sudden appearance; she recognized Bill and Tara, as well, who both greeted her with quiet nods of their heads but seemed oddly disconnected from each other even though they were sitting only inches apart on a sofa. She did not know the tall, handsome Nordic one, who looked as if he was remembering a fond memory as he smiled at her, making her feel instantly uneasy; the woman beside him was a beautiful mess of disfigured flesh, changing right before Maurella's eyes as the wounds covering her body continued in their healing process; the youngish-looking fellow hanging back in a corner and leaning coolly against the wall, dressed like a cat burglar in tight black leather pants and black turtle neck sweater, eyed her with quiet intrigue and gestured at her with a silent salute of his hand. Of the two remaining vampires she could almost feel their antiquity as a force in its own right, imposing and powerful. That such creatures could even remotely benefit from her assistance was shocking and almost impossible to her but she was there to offer it; she was present in the moment but felt so very much out of her element and comfort zone, made even more discomforting by the fact that each of them was bleeding, except for the two Ancients, from their eyes, ears, noses and corners of their mouths in one form or another—some of them from all four orifices at once—each of them holding black satin handkerchiefs in hand.

"I am Sabeen," said the ancient female as she approached her. "Thank you for coming. I promise that you are safe with us and that no one in this room will harm you."

"Hello, Sabeen, I'm Maurella. Claude brought me here..."

"Yes, I know."

"Maurella," said the wounded female vampire from across the room, "My name is Nora. I'm very sorry to tell you that Claude is dead—his former lover, Octavian Valerius, consumed him last night."

"Maurella," Bill began delicately as he rose from his seat beside Tara, "Claude was actually successful in his endeavor to synthesize fairy blood—it is our understanding that Valerius killed him because of that fact. Whatever secrets Claude may have unlocked appear to have died with him—we are sure that any documentation of his work—if there was any—would have been destroyed by Valerius. You know now what Claude's plan was...Valerius wanted nothing to do with that. He wants vampires to reign supreme here on Earth—we intend to stop him. Sabeen is telekinetic, as you and Sookie are. We have all just learned that Valerius is, as well. Sabeen needs—we all need—your help to vanquish him and keep order amongst our own and defuse a war between vampires and humans...a war that would impact every supernatural being on the planet, not just vampires."

"Do you think your Queen would dispatch more fairies here to help us?" asked Sabeen then.

"I've been forbidden to ever return to Faery, Sabeen...I have no way of finding out. Even if I could contact her, I doubt that she would want to get involved after everything that happened with Claude. There are not many of us left and she's trying to preserve the race as best she can."

"Not even to save humans?"

"I just don't know, Sabeen," Maurella told her sadly. "What is it that you want me to do?"

"I need to go on a recon—there's a resort very near here where Octavian was based and I need to know if he's still there—it's where he killed Claude and took our Authority delegates into custody. The others here can't withstand the sun as long as I can and we have no human detail in place. I need you to accompany me, use your powers in concert with mine in case Octavian is still there and the effect of Claude's blood has enabled him to be awake and prepared to battle me."

"It sounds like a suicide mission, to me," Maurella said frankly.

"With your help it would not be—two against one—better odds than if I go alone."

"Not that I don't want to help, but must you go at all?"

"Yes, I must," Sabeen said simply.

"Alright," Maurella sighed deeply, "let's go check it out, then. Please lead the way."

* * *

><p>While Sabeen and Maurella were gone the others did what they could as they placed more phone calls. Bill called Jessica with an update and directed her to go to Shreveport with Blackburn and meet up with Sookie; Nora drafted a directive to be sent to all Continental U. S. vampires; Eric called Sookie.<p>

"Thank you for offering to come, _liten krigare_..."

"I'm still coming—three of us is even better than two," Sookie told him in no uncertain term. "What do you want me to do here, in the meantime?"

"I've already called Anubis—we're going to need a human security team and they know that any further arrangements will be organized by either you, Chow or Ginger. They're waiting for you at Fangtasia—ask Alcide to go with you. Jessica and Blackburn are on the way as well; we must organize vampire troops—Chow and Ginger are working on that as we speak, but they must go to ground soon."

"Alright, I'm leaving now. Be careful, Eric—I love you."

"When I know more I'll call you—I'll be up for a while. I love you...talk with you soon." They hung up.

"Vitaly has told me that there's nothing out of the ordinary going on in Europe...he's heard nothing," Shashen'Ka told Eric when he concluded his call.

"Some of you need to go on to ground..." said Antanas as he looked to the youngest vampires in the room. "Bill...Julian...Tara...Nora...I advise that you get to your cubbies. I will wait up for Sabeen and Maurella. If and when we know for sure that nothing has been transmitted from Octavian or any of his minions, we'll send out Nora's directive. Until then go get some rest. By evening, Nora, you should be completely healed. I can manage some human donors for your dinner this evening to speed you along."

"Thank you, Antanas, I am exhausted. Good morning, all," she said as she took her leave.

"Ditto," said Julian as he left the room close behind her.

Bill looked over at Tara, who was still fuming over the incident with her phone. She got up and approached him.

"Can I have that back now?" she stuck out her hand angrily. From where he stood Eric smirked knowingly, more than amused.

"Tara..." Bill began apologetically.

"Good morning." Tara stalked off without another word to anyone.

"Ain't love grand?" Eric mocked Bill as he passed by.

"Do you not have something better to do?" Bill looked up and sneered at him.

"Gentlemen, it has been a trying night—please remember that we're all on the same side," Antanas said in slight reprimand as he went to them. Bill looked down and away from Eric, conceding to his host's wise reminder; he nodded his good morning at Antanas then left the room.

"What is with those two?" asked Victor of Shashen'Ka quietly.

"Who knows?" she said through a slight chuckle as she dabbed at some blood dripping down her neck from her ear.

* * *

><p>When Sabeen and Maurella got to the Allegheny ridge Sabeen could see that Greenbrier was back to business as usual.<p>

"There were absolutely no humans here last night, no activity at all."

"He's gone, then?"

"Not necessarily; vampires operate in places such as this all over the world, either clandestinely or in agreement with humans—especially at certain government installations, of which this actually is. We won't go through the main entrance—follow me..."

Sabeen led Maurella to one of the three entrances that led from the grounds to the bunker. It was repaired and showed no evidence that it had been breached the night before.

"What are we looking at?" asked Maurella quietly.

"I'm not sure," Sabeen answered her honestly. "We're going to have to go in through the main entrance, after all..." Gentle wisps of smoke began to curl about Sabeen's head.

"Are you alright?" Maurella asked her, more than alarmed.

"I'm fine...come on..."

Sabeen led Maurella quickly to the lobby, now filled with tourists and staff, and whisked onward to the bunker exhibit where they found a "**TOUR CLOSED**" sign posted in front of the roped-off gallery.

"The door here was destroyed last night—it has been replaced" she said of the new blast door looking pristine and untouched. "I can open that door; most likely it would trip a silent alarm," Sabeen said, thinking out loud.

"Would they go to all of this trouble to remain here and risk possible attack from a larger strike force?"

"Probably not...it's been done for the benefit of the humans, I'm sure."

"Don't open it, Sabeen—let me teleport in, see what's on the other side," Maurella whispered at her.

"I know _what's _on the other side, Maurella, just not _who_...it isn't safe for you to go alone," she whispered back at her vehemently.

"At the first sign of trouble I teleport right back out here to you—let me be your eyes...what will I be looking for?"

Sabeen hesitated.

"Come on, we're wasting time and you're getting hotter...what's on the other side?"

"Alright: the first level is the bunker exhibit; go in past the communications room, past the medical facilities—there's a power plant—I need to know if the middle storage tank is still damaged or if it has been repaired, as well—it's the entrance to the headquarters below...I never got past the anteroom there, but that's where I want to get to. As soon as you see the state of that tank come back to me—if it's still damaged we'll go in together."

"Got it...I'll be right back." With that Maurella disappeared. Seconds later she reappeared. "It's blasted—I could see through to the floor below. I saw no one, Sabeen, but I think it's more than foolish for us to proceed alone like this..."

"I have to know, Maurella..."

"If it was a trap last night what do you think it is today? This door could be rigged to explode upon access; it could be a relative mine field down there—I've been around, Sabeen, I know something of the human trappings of war."

"Well then, what do you propose that we do?"

"I go in again, fly through the breach and the rest of the compound, see what I can see—then we get you out of here and back to your friends. Watch your back up here..." Maurella disappeared again.

* * *

><p>Jessica and Blackburn were already at Fangtasia when Sookie and Alcide arrived. Sookie took one look at Jessica's face and went instantly into an apology.<p>

"Jessica, I'm sorry...I wanted to tell you..."

Jessica wiped some blood away from her nose with a handkerchief as she approached Sookie. "Shut up, I get it..." she said as she brought her into a hug. "Look, there's not much I can do right now, but tonight? It's on..." she assured Sookie. "I'm going to ground—see you this evening, okay?"

"Okay," Sookie smiled warmly at her. "Ginger...Chow..." she said as she turned to them then, "tell me what you want me to do..."

* * *

><p>It was fifteen minutes before Maurella returned to Sabeen.<p>

"There is no one here, Sabeen, absolutely no one," she reported to her. "He's gone from this place...we need to get you back."

In a blur unnoticed by any human eyes the two women spirited out of the hotel and into the day as they headed back to hideaway of Antanas Valinsky.

* * *

><p>Sam woke up the next morning to the smell of pancakes and maple bacon wafting through Zola's house. He grabbed her pillow and sniffed it as he hugged it to himself, her scent intoxicating him as he stretched languorously and reveled in it. He got out of bed and jumped into her shower, and when he was done, retrieved his bag that he had sent home with her when she left him the week before. He brushed his teeth and gave his hair a quick towel dry then wrapped a dry one around his waist and went to join her downstairs.<p>

"Damn, girl, you tryin' to spoil me?" he said as he entered the kitchen.

"You're worse than weed, dude—not that I smoke it, or anything," she smiled at him from the stove and gave him a wink.

"Yeah, okay," he chuckled. He walked over to her and gave her a kiss on her neck. "Wow, omelets; hash browns—and steak, too?" he said with a surprised happy smile as he looked at the stove.

"I'm hungry—how about you?"

"Starving...thank you, darlin'—I've got breakfast tomorrow; I see you, in bed, with a plateful of my famous hoecakes, sausage and grits; fresh strawberries and fresh squeezed orange juice—for starters..."

"Sounds good to me. Everything about you is good to me," she turned from the stove and gave him a proper kiss.

"Why, thank you," he nuzzled her nose with his own. "What's that you have on there? It's awful pretty..." he said of the silk halter dress she was wearing.

"It's a magic skirt. Stand back..." she smiled at him. Very quickly she demonstrated the various ways the garment could be worn: she tied it around her waist and then brought a layer of fabric up and fashioned it as a sarong; she untied it and then made a strapless dress out if with an elegant bow tied at the back; she untied it yet again, reversed the fabric to reveal a whole other pattern then tied it Grecian-style over one shoulder and stood before him looking like a goddess.

"What? Wow...it is magic—and so are you..." he gave her another kiss.

"Hey, you can't be the daughter of a hippie without some of that stuff rubbing off on you...have a seat, kind sir," she gave him a little curtsey.

"Oh, so it's a hippie thing, huh?"

"Yeah, part hippie—in another life I think I lived on a Polynesian island before I was scooped up by a punk rock demi-god and his permissive steam punk concubine. At least, that's how my mother always described my wardrobe, back in the day," Zola chuckled to herself.

"I don't even know what half of that means," Sam said as he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"You will soon," she warned him with an impish smile as she set a plate before him.

When they were done Zola pushed herself away from the table and groaned. "I think I hurt myself..."

Sam smiled at her. "Me, too. Come on, let's work it off at the sink and bust some suds..."

"Aww...no..." she pouted, "I hate doing the dishes—I do have a dishwasher—that's the most I'll commit to right now..."

"No, see, you're just not familiar with the proper way to do dishes—there is a proper way," he assured her as took by the hands and pulled her reluctantly up from her seat.

"Really? I can't just toss 'em out the window and go on with my life?"

"No—that's messy, irresponsible and quite possibly a law suit waiting to happen...didn't your mother ever tell you that?" he asked her seriously.

"No, my mother tossed all of her fine china out of the window in defiance of the establishment—after that it was all about styrofoam, baby..." she joked. "You're lucky I even know what a plate is."

"Hippies..." he began with mock displeasure.

"Can't live with 'em, can't walk under their windows," she finished for him.

"Come on, you...stop complaining—you're gonna love my method."

"Promises, promises..."

"You stand right there and observe..." he said as he positioned her in front of the sink. "First, we put the leftovers away, but we don't have any so that makes it even easier...now we scrape the plates—but look—we licked 'em clean!"

Zola laughed out loud.

"Now we stack the dishes, nice and neat and make the dish water..." which he did. "And you don't fool me—you already cleaned the pots and pans when you were done cooking..." he pretended to scold her.

"Yeah, I said I was _part _hippie..."

"Your saving grace..."

"Oh! That's not nice..." she gave him a playful swat on his backside.

"Hey, watch it—I like that," he warned her. "Now, we wash the glasses and silverware first...hey, where do you think you're going?" he asked her as she tiptoed back to the table to sit down.

"I'm stuffed and tired..."

"Come over here..." he ordered her. "Now turn around—I'm gonna walk you through this once..." He faced her towards the sink and got behind her then took her hands in his and guided them into the hot soapy water. "Glasses and silverware first, good...then I take this off," he said as he undid her dress and let it slip away from her body. "Then I take this off..." he unwrapped the towel from around his waist, " and we make this something fun instead of a chore." He kissed he neck and cupped her full soft breasts in his hands then bent her slightly over so that he could enter her. Zola forgot about the dishes in anticipation of him and prepared to receive his special instruction. "Did I say you could stop washing dishes?" he growled seductively into her neck.

"Uh...really?"

"Trust me...you want to get done, don't you?"

"I hope you're talking about me and not the dishes," she whispered at him in a swoon.

"What do you think I'm talking about?" he whispered back as he slipped himself into her. "Does it feel like I'm talking about you?"

"Yes..." she moaned softly.


	86. Agenda

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 86 Agenda

When Sabeen and Maurella returned from Greenbrier they found Antanas waiting for them.

"He was not there," Antanas surmised when he saw the look on Sabeen's face.

"You and Nora were correct—he has gone..."

"The others have gone to ground, Sabeen—you need to rest, as well. Whatever the night holds in store for us we'll be no match if we are not at least at our full strength. I have spoken with Sookie Stackhouse—Chow has recruited a force of seven hundred vampires, ready confront Valerius as soon as we have a location; we have human troops ready to be deployed at a moments notice; Miss Stackhouse asked me to tell you both that she is ready to stand with you, as well—Anubis Air is ready to fly her anywhere she needs to get to. We have a start, _mielasis_, but you need to rest now, the night is coming soon enough. I will transmit Nora's directive now—we'll see what happens." he went to a desk in the corner of the room and sat at the waiting laptop upon it; he read it again for himself and then hit the 'send' button.

"Maurella, I can't thank you enough for your help."

"I'm happy that I was able. Go and get your rest. I'm going to try and contact my Queen telepathically, see if she will hear my call—doesn't hurt to try but I'm also not going to hold my breath."

"I understand. Until sunset, then." Sabeen and Antanas left her.

* * *

><p>In Faery, Queen Mab was ready to scream.<p>

"What is it my Queen?" asked Claudette nervously.

"She won't stop—I'm sick to death of her voice in my head."

"Won't you reconsider her plea?"

"No. The deal has been struck and I intend to honor it. I will not risk our kind..."

"But there is no risk, my Queen, Valerius said so himself," Claudette tried to keep any and all hint of frustration or insolence out of her tone so as not to irritate Mab completely and be banished.

"Claudette, the vampires want to hunt and feed—they want to be free to be what they are. They don't want better tasting Tru Blood..." she said in furious contempt.

"According to Valerius, my Queen—he does not speak for all vampires."

"Maybe not, but he speaks for enough of them. By agreeing that I will never cooperate in any endeavor to bring Claude's discovery to fruition I have saved our kind from any future attack upon us at the hands of vampires—you heard his promise to me with your own ears! It means we go on; it means we live in peace. I'm sick to death of humans and the trouble they bring. We are safe here, as long as we stay out of the mess called 'politics' on Earth, human or otherwise," she spat at her. "And you will abide by the same. What have humans and vampires ever done for you, girl? NOTHING! But cause death, destruction, madness and mayhem—or do you desire to go the way of your brother and sister?"

"I meant no disrespect, my Queen," Claudette quickly dropped to her knees and bowed before Mab.

"You are on thin ice enough, as it is. I advise that you abandon all ideas of breaching my agreement with Valerius or any idea that even remotely hints at it or you'll find yourself down there with them to see how well you'll enjoy practicing what you are trying to preach to me. Never bring this up to me in conversation again for as long as you live, do you understand me?" she hissed at her.

"Yes, my Queen."

"Go away from me," Mab ordered her.

* * *

><p>As the sun set over West Virginia the vampires at the safe house in Maxwelton rose with uneasy anticipation of what the night would bring about; the Louisiana vampires still had an hour before they would rise but Antanas was bringing his crew up to speed on what Sookie had reported to him earlier that morning.<p>

"Well, everything is set into motion, but our target is unknown—what good is any of it?" said Eric disgustedly.

Antanas had made good on his promise and provided Nora with enough human donors to see her restored to full health. She joined them all, refreshed and ever thankful to him and Sabeen. She was about to voice her appreciation when Antanas spoke first.

"There is no need, child, I know what you wish to say. Right now we need to see your list of locations—do you have it ready?"

"Yes," she handed him a print out sheet.

"As many as these?" he asked in great surprise and frustration at all of the locations sprinkled about the U. S.

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Suddenly there was a flash of light, such as the one they'd all seen when Maurella appeared before them. When the light faded away a woman was standing before them.

"Claudette?" Maurella called her name in disbelief.

"Hello, Maurella."

"Claudette?" asked Tara, stunned, as well. "As in Claude's sister, Claudette?"

"One in the same."

"How did you get here?" asked Maurella, still in shock.

"Claude showed me how to open a portal; we can only do it from the Faery side at this point—we cannot come and go as we once were able when were in the Queen's good graces. I tried to get others to come with me—they are all too terrified of Queen Mab to help. It doesn't matter that she knows that I am here—I can never go back, anyway.

"She has struck a deal with Octavian in exchange of his promise to never harm fairies again—he told her about Claude's success; Octavian promised her that so long as she never allowed her kind to take part in any such endeavor we would always be safe. She is quite content to never come to Earth or have anything to do with vampires or humans again. I'm here to offer my services."

"What can we possibly do?" Maurella lamented at her.

"I see that you have a list of locations—I listened in on you Maurella, before I got here. The two of us can divide that list and check the locations for activity—we can find him, I know that we can."

"This would have been a plan better executed under the cover of sunlight..." said Antanas exasperatedly. "Your information and kind offer of help is greatly appreciated, but more than dangerous now that night has fallen."

"It's better than nothing," Claudette countered boldly. "You have a small army and know not where to send them. Octavian must be put down. These are the facts. Maurella and I can seek them out in the blink of an eye and report back to you with little risk to ourselves. You need our intelligence abilities and you know it."

"She's right, Antanas. With Maurella's help today we were able to get in and out with very little risk," Sabeen reminded him. Octavian knows about me and Sookie—he has not counted on our having help from two more capable telekinetics. And it is more than a productive endeavor to engage in rather than sitting around our monitors gloomily waiting for them to pop on and televise our impending doom—it is indeed better than the nothing we are doing now."

"That risk was reduced by the sun burning bright in the daytime sky—wherever he is and whoever he commands—they are as awake and alert as we are—they could see you well before you see them, I don't care how fast you can materialize or disappear. There is risk, do not fool yourselves. If you still want to try go right ahead, but be honest about your true chances. I want him put down as everyone in this room does—I would just like for us all to survive this campaign," Antanas said finally.

"And I appreciate that, I truly do," Claudette told him in earnest. "I accept the risk, sir."

"As do I," said Maurella.

"May we see that list now?"

* * *

><p>An hour later Tara was on the phone with Sookie.<p>

"Did I just hear you correctly? Claudette?"

"Yes...she and Maurella have scoped out six locations already between them...girl, my vampire ass is trippin' like a motherfucker...I wish you could be here to see them in action..."

"What if Valerius is at none of those locations?"

"Sookie, hush, don't even say that..."

At that moment the closed-circuit television set up in the bar at Fangtasia came to life showing the smug countenance of Octavian Valerius and nothing else.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Sookie asked Tara.

"Yes, we've got it...call you back when it's over."

"Yeah..." Sookie said absently as she hung up. Chow, Ginger, Jessica and Blackburn all gathered around to watch the vile broadcast; Alcide, already sitting next to Sookie and gazing at her with great concern, took her hand into his own and felt her pulse racing; he gave her hand a supportive squeeze then looked back to the screen as they all waited for the son of a bitch to speak.

* * *

><p>At Antanas Valinsky's, the vampires there were doing the same, waiting for him to speak; waiting for the two Fae women to come back in with the report that they had found him; waiting to deploy so that they could take him out.<p>

Around the world all vampires were waiting as Valerius drew out every possible, tantalizing, tortuous anticipatory moment before he spoke. Finally he did.

"Hello, my undead brothers and sisters...I am Octavian Valerius. I am going to make this as brief as possible. Many, if not all, of you have received a particularly slanderous and inaccurate directive referring to and warning you against me from 'The Authority'. That directive was a fraud. Let me show you 'The Authority'..." he said as the camera cut away to a generic location showing the seven delegates seated and bound, screaming and burning under the burden of their silver constraints.

"Now you tell me—do these vampires look like they've been firing off e-mails of any importance to anyone?" Valerius laughed heartily.

"They're not dead..." Nora gasped, too overcome to say much more.

"Yet..." said Antanas soberly.

"You have all been misled by these men and women," his voice resumed after his laughter subsided though the camera stayed trained upon the burning delegates. "Men and women who always came at you from the shadows, never revealing their true identities to you. I do not need or desire to hide behind shadows and anonymity and neither do I want that for you, my vampire brethren.

"What were they hiding? The truth. Mainstreaming is a phenomenal failure. This 'Authority' would have you believe that integration into human society will breed goodwill and acceptance of our kind. It has not. They would have you believe that a blood substitute is nourishment for our preternatural bodies and as good, or better, than the real thing. It is not. NOTHING is better than living, warm, human blood. There is no substitute.

"Very simply, humans are FOOD: we will not be subjugated to the will of an inferior food source. Very simply, this 'Authority' is comprised of nothing but traitors to our kind: the directive you received tonight came from the most treacherous one amongst them and soon she will join her colleagues. It is time say goodbye to the 'Authority'..."

A firing squad of seven soldiers marched on screen then armed with their automatic rifles and positioned themselves before the delegates; the raised their weapons and aimed at their targets and then Valerius came back on screen.

Claudette returned from her search at that moment and saw the vampires watching the dreaded telecast; she stood quietly in the back of the room and watched with them.

"Very simply, brothers and sisters, this is a new era; I am backed by hundreds of thousands of our kind, here in America and abroad, who want only what is right: that we exist in full celebration of what we are, free to feed in the manner we are accustomed to: without reprisal, without apology, without laws imposed on us by our own or any other species that forbids us to be what we are. Be advised that there are still traitors amongst us; be advised that their day, and that of the humans is long over."

The report of gun fire rang out then.

"I am the new Authority—YOU are the new Authority. Long Live The Authority."

With that the transmission ended.

"Fuck..." gasped Tara.

"There's no coming back from this," uttered Julian sadly.

"There will be nothing but chaos, now..." Sabeen said as she stared at the blank screen, still horrified at the execution of the delegates.

"Even if we find him and kill him he has just empowered every young, ignorant vampire stupid enough to believe that any of us can survive in a world of unchecked abandon and wanton disregard for personal responsibility or accountability," Shashen'Ka said as she shook her head. "Without any cohesive authority it's going to be a free-for-all."

Nora sat crying softly in a corner. She looked up at them all, the blood tears streaming down her face copiously, blinded by a sorrow she didn't know she was still capable of feeling.

"He actually said nothing definitive at all; he gave no real instruction or guidance; all he did was show them an act of barbarism and pat himself on the back. He's not leading anything and he's lying about the support he claims to have, which they'll realize when real vampires hit the mats and disappear into the _safety_ of shadows and obscurity while they go balls out believing their own hype and get cut down by fearful, angry humans who know our secrets now and how to fight back," said Eric.

"It's not just young inexperienced fledglings who are disgusted with mainstreaming..." Julian said then, "many middle-aged, experienced vampires are disgruntled, as well."

"In light of this development it doesn't make any sense to send you two any further into harm's way," Sabeen said as she looked at Claudette. "I don't know what to do, now."

"You trot me out to tell them the truth..." said Claudette with a smile in her voice. They all looked at her, amazed at the mirth in her voice and upon her face. "We out him as the fabled fairy-lover who enjoyed the greedy pleasures of not one but three of them and was content to live very much a mundane, integrated life amongst humans until his jealous elders came for his ass to make him kiss the sun. My brother and sister are gone but I'm still here, living proof and a witness to his hypocrisy."

"I don't know if that will be enough, just trying to discredit him. The psychological effect of killing the Authority delegates—that can't be erased, the damage is done," said Victor.

"Theater..." said Antanas under his breath.

"What? What did you say, Antanas?" asked Sabeen.

"Theater—we heard the shots, but we did not see any execution at all. Smoke and mirrors...lies and bullshit!" his voice thundered out in rage. "We do not stop looking, we will find him—Claudette, quickly...come here..." Antanas ordered her.


	87. Centralia

_**A/N: Happy Season 5, Everybody!**_

* * *

><p>I own nothing.<p>

True Blood S4

Chapter 87 Centralia

At Fangtasia the room was full of quiet, paralyzing shock; when Sookie's phone rang even the vampires reacted with visible surprise.

"Sookie? What's up, sweetheart—seems like I haven't talked to you all week..."

"Jason..."

"Man, I miss you...I had a real breakthrough in my meeting today," he began excitedly.

"Jason, that's great, but..."

"And Holly found us a psychologist, like she promised—I had my first appointment with him today..."

"Jason, that's wonderful but I can't really talk right now..." she said awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm sorry—you busy? I should have asked you..." he said apologetically.

Another phone rang in the room—it was Ginger's.

"Yeah, I'm kinda in the middle of something," Sookie said then, sounding noticeably distracted.

"Well, okay," he said, suspicion beginning to creep into his voice. "Sookie, what's wrong?"

The look on Ginger's face as she listened to her caller was alarming everyone in the room; she turned to Sookie and motioned for her to cut her call short.

"I promise I'll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it but I really have to go now..."

"Sook? What the fuck is it? Sook?"

"I love you honey, I'll talk to you tomorrow," she rushed him off and hung up, hating herself for having to do so. "What? What's happened?" Sookie asked Ginger frantically.

"Alright, Sabeen, we'll get them ready." Ginger ended the call. "Maurella found him and we have a location," she said simply. A collective sigh of relief was heard throughout the room. "She hasn't been heard from since she broadcast her location to Claudette, Sookie—they're afraid she's been captured."

"Oh my God!"

"Octavian doesn't know that Claudette is here. Sabeen brought it to my attention that the delegates weren't shot on camera—Maurella was able to confirm that they were all still being detained before communication with her went dead."

"I don't get it—why didn't he kill them?" asked Blackburn, as confused as all of the others.

"No one knows, just be glad that he didn't."

"At least not yet," said Chow.

"Sookie, a jet is ready to take you to meet up with Sabeen and Claudette—we're all going in," said Ginger finally.

"Well Alcide, this is it. Thank you so much for being here for me—for us all," Sookie said to him quietly as the others prepared to go.

"Anytime, you know that. Just kick his ass and fucking come back." They both stood up; Alcide lifted her small frame off the ground and gave her a crushing hug. He set her back down, gave her a kiss to the forehead and then left them all.

* * *

><p>When Sarah Newlin's phone rang, she nearly jumped out of her cold, white skin.<p>

"Hello?"

"Sarah, this is Ginger..."

"Ginger! Hi! It's so good to hear from you! Have you heard from Sabeen? Is she alright?" Sarah motioned Trey to come over to her from where he sat reading a book. He rushed to her side.

"Yes, she asked me to call you, just now. The situation has escalated, Sarah; we're on our way now to deal with it."

"We saw Valerius on television..."

"Then you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Yes."

"You and Trey sit tight; don't leave your quarters, for any reason—you're safe as long as you stay put. You should be hearing from one of us again within the next forty-eight hours, do you understand?"

"Yes. I don't know if it's appropriate for vampires to say this," Sarah began awkwardly, "but Godspeed, Ginger." On the other end of the line Ginger smiled.

"Thanks, Sarah."

* * *

><p>At Sookie's house, Remy, Hadley and Hunter were watching television when they heard a knock at the door. Remy went to answer it; as soon as he got to the door soldiers forced it open and burst through, taking him captive. Hadley screamed out and gathered her son into her arms at the sound of the invasion and the sight of the armed men advancing upon them. She quickly whispered into his ear and the terrified boy nodded as tears came immediately to his eyes. The soldiers aimed their rifles at her as one soldier stepped to the fore. All of them were in black uniforms and wearing helmets that covered their faces behind dark bullet-proof glass.<p>

"Where is Sookie Stackhouse?" demanded the barbarian standing over Hadley.

"She's not here—she hasn't been here going on two days, now..." Hadley said, shaking visibly in total terror.

"WHERE IS SHE!" He roared at her.

"I don't know! She left here a couple of mornings ago and didn't say where she was going—I haven't heard from her since, that's God's honest truth..." she began to cry.

The soldier put his hand to the earpiece under his helmet and listened intently, then nodded. He signaled to another. "Take the boy..."

"NO!" Hadley screamed out. "NO! NOT MY BABY! NOT MY BABY!" The two soldiers wrested Hunter out of her arms.

Where he was detained Remy struggled to break free and was knocked hard in the head with the butt of a rifle; his unconscious body was thrown to the ground.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Hunter cried out, his arms stretched out in desperation for her, and was carried off out of her sight. With her heart in her throat, Hadley, brought to standing and still restrained, lashed out at the brute holding her and kneed him in the groin, able then to break free; she ran for the door and suddenly everything went black.

* * *

><p>"What the hell is this place?" asked Sookie three hours later as she looked out of the chopper window at the misty ghost town below.<p>

"Hell is the proper word for it..." said Ginger, who had accompanied Sookie on her flight to Allentown, Pennsylvania and then to the waiting Anubis helicopter for the ride to Centralia. The others had gone out with the fleet of transport choppers carrying the first wave of their own soldiers. As they came in closer to landing Sookie could see a group of people standing away from the landing area, waiting.

"What happened here?"

"It started with an coal mine fire, but the last five or six residents who still live here will tell you that what it's really about is hundreds of millions of dollars in mineral rights," said Ginger as the chopper landed on a dead highway, being steadily reclaimed by nature and dotted with hissing toxic gas vents. "Keep your gas mask ready, just in case—it's a half mask—it shouldn't feel so claustrophobic..." Ginger said of the contraption hanging around Sookie's neck.

They exited the chopper and met Sabeen, who stood flanked by Antanas and Eric, the rest of her anxious crew standing behind them.

"Hello Sookie, I'm sorry to be meeting you under these circumstances but glad to do so, nonetheless—I am Sabeen."

Sookie took in the unlikely vampire with a slight double-take—she looked like Mrs. Sparks, her fifth grade schoolteacher. "Nice to meet you, too, Sabeen. What's the plan?"

Sabeen's smile was immediate, as was Eric's, behind her. "I do like your attitude, Sookie. There is church on the north side of town—Octavian is there. Maurella is still alive, as are the delegates—Claudette has had contact with her. We're sure that Octavian thinks she's communicating with you. We're going to blast him to hell, Sookie—the four of us—that's the plan."

"Sounds good to me."

Sookie was quickly introduced to Shashen'Ka, Victor and Antanas; Tara and Bill each gave her a warm hug as did Julian Cromwell. Claudette stepped up then.

"Hello Sookie. At last we finally meet."

"I'm sorry about Claude."

"Thank you. Are you ready to do this?"

"Damn straight."

Finally, Nora approached her, looking sad and distant.

"Hello, Sookie, I'm sorry about before—little good it did."

Sookie didn't need to be able to read Nora's mind to know that she was in pain and consumed with anxiety over her failed mission and all that was at stake. She took the taller woman into her arms and gave her a genuine hug.

"Nora, we're going to win—I have it from a reliable source that Valerius is not going to triumph over us," she said as she glanced over at Eric before she let her go. Eric walked over to his two women and put his arms around them both.

"The others should be here momentarily," said Ginger.

Five minutes later a fleet of twenty choppers landed bearing ten vampire soldiers each and Chow, Jessica and Blackburn.

"Human troops are posted undercover in Mount Carmel and Ashland," Ginger informed them all.

"Alright, this is it—we storm the church...go in and head straight for the quarters two levels down. I want fifty soldiers posted here, fifty outside around the church, fifty posted in the church, the rest go down in the basement with us. I go first—Sookie, you and Claudette flank me—at the first sight of Octavian blast away, understand? Don't hesitate..."

Both women nodded.

"Ginger, you stay here—I want you on the horn between all of the troops here and the middle guard coming in next."

"Yes, Sabeen."

"Let's go..." she ordered then. Eric scooped Sookie up in his arms as they all took off with their vampire speed, Sabeen, Eric and Julian flying ahead leading the way.

They were up the hill and at the pristine white church within minutes, which looked odd and out of place in contrast to the dead abandoned town it still served. As directed the allotted troops appointed themselves according to Sabeen's orders as she raced ahead to the levels below, followed closely by Eric, who was still holding Sookie, and Claudette. When they came to a vaulted door Eric set Sookie down.

"Get ready to blast whatever is behind this fucking door," hissed Sabeen at Sookie and Claudette as she raised her hand up in the air and gave her wrist a slight twist. The door opened and there was Valerius, waiting, but holding a squirming boy in his grasp.

"Hunter?"

"Aunt Sookie!"

"What the fuck are you doing with him? LET HIM GO!" Sookie screamed out.

"You had a surprise and so did I, hybrid. You lied to me. Had you just been honest with me," he began with mock compassion, "this might have been avoided."

"Liar!"

"Sookie, be still," Sabeen told her. "Let the boy go, Octavian."

"I think not. This little stunt is going to cost you all, Sabeen. I knew that you would make a way to me eventually. I only held out on the delegates because I want Nora to be with them when they go. I have my constituents in the palm of my hand and this time tomorrow night humans can kiss their asses goodbye—it is our world, now. Nothing—not you or your sorry army—can stop it. Just admit defeat graciously so that we can move on to the next stage, yes?"

"No." Sabeen did not know what was going on telepathically between Sookie and Claudette, but the boy had calmed down considerably. She dared not look at them and continued to try and distract Valerius. "For the last time, let him go, Octavian."

"Or what? Really, Sabeen..."

Just then Claudette teleported out of sight and seconds later Hunter was gone.

Sabeen and Sookie raised their hands immediately and forced all of their power at him, catapulting him into a wall. Octavian recovered with is vampire speed and hurled a burst of his own at them, knocking Sookie out first, then directing all of his might at Sabeen who staved him off for a time and, in a split-second of weakness, was overpowered and knocked against a steel pillar. His own troops had entered from upstairs and a full battle was being waged, vampire against vampire, dodging fists, fangs and wooden bullets.

Claudette reappeared, now with Maurella in tow and the two women concentrated all of their hate and rage at Valerius as Sabeen and Sookie both struggled to recover and rejoin the attack. Somehow Eric had managed battle his way through the madness and get behind Valerius, still fighting off enemy vampires; Bill looked and saw where he was and quickly dispensed with a soldier he was battling by using his own rifle against him as a stake and then raced over to Eric; Tara's eyes searched for Bill in the mayhem and found him, as well as a rifle within her grasp; Sookie and Sabeen had taken hard hits and Maurella and Claudette were weakening; suddenly Maurella was attacked by a vampire and, to Tara's horror, drained. From where she lay on the floor she grabbed the assault rifle and aimed for Valerius' head.

With Maurella out of the equation Claudette faltered and was knocked off of her feet and across the room. Bill and Eric jumped him, but were flung easily away like gnats as Valerius headed for Sabeen.

Back outside on the dead highway, Ginger had dispatched the next wave of soldiers; the room was filled with an influx of reinforcements and Valerius' army was being effectively overtaken. Outraged, he stormed towards Sabeen.

"Get up, bitch, and finish this!" he yelled at her as she still lay in a heap against the pillar. He pulled her up to standing. "Useless," he hissed at her as he held her by her throat, "you were useless to my Maker, useless to me—you're useless to these misguided, neolithic, cretins—your time is up, bitch..."

Near them Bill and Eric were caught up in their own hand to hand battles; Bill vanquished his attacker first and headed for Valerius, who had Sabeen pinned by her neck to the pillar with one hand, his other raised and ready to blast her at point blank range; just as he lunged at Valerius Tara took her shot.

Instantly Sabeen was awash in shredded vampire flesh, but neither she nor Tara could tell which vampire had been obliterated—neither Bill or Valerius were in sight.

"Oh fuck! No! NO!" Tara scrambled from the floor and raced to the slick, slimy goo that was left on the floor at Sabeen's feet, digging through it trying to tell if it was her love that she had killed or not. "Bill!" she wailed torturedly, "Oh God, no..." and then she broke down completely. Sabeen pulled her out of the fray as Eric went to Sookie and grabbed her up; the two of them raced away with their charges then to regroup.

"He got away again, didn't he? I FUCKING MISSED HIM!" Tara railed against herself as she sat slumped on the floor. "And now Bill is dead...I killed him..." she broke down into uncontrollable blood tears again.

"No, Tara—you got the bastard..." came the familiar lilt of his Southern accent from above her. Tara looked up in shock to see her lover in the flesh before her and unscathed.

"Bill? Bill!" she jumped up from the floor in shock and relief. "Oh, baby..." she hugged him tightly. "How?" she murmured into his chest as he stroked her hair.

"Claudette—she teleported me away from him. You got him, Tara...you got him..." he whispered at her as he continued to cradle her in his arms.


	88. Ashland

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 88 Ashland

Sookie, firmly ensconced in Eric's protective embrace, let out a sigh of relief when she saw Bill and then felt a sudden stab of pain in her side.

"Your ribs are broken—you must let me heal you..." Eric told her calmly as he slit his wrist above her open with the thumb of his other hand underneath her, being careful not to squeeze her too tightly as he did so.

"Where's Hunter?" she asked him frantically as she pushed his wrist away from her, struggling against the pain to try and disengage herself and rise from the floor. Suddenly they all heard reports of more gunfire echo from the room just around the corner where they had all been moments before.

"Sookie, no—you must drink first..." Eric insisted firmly.

_"He's safe with me, Sookie-we're out of the church and back on the highway with Ginger..."_ Claudette informed her then.

Sookie's body went slack against Eric's body from relief.

"Sookie—drink," he ordered her sternly as he held his wrist to her mouth.

Sabeen came into the room then, flanked by Antanas, Jessica and Blackburn, all of them bathed in the blood of their vanquished enemy combatants. She looked over at Sookie as she fed from Eric and waited for her to finish before she spoke. Eric noted the concern on her face; his smile at her was faint but full of genuine appreciation.

"She'll be fine in just a moment, thank you," he said softly and then turned his attention back to Sookie.

Sabeen nodded in relief and then addressed everyone.

"Thanks to Maurella the delegates have been located—they're being seen to by the others. We've had some casualties, but we've inflicted far more damage than we've taken and clean-up is in progress. I will tell you all now that Nan Flanagan's replacement was here, an annoying upstart hand-picked by Octavian—he's escaped, of course. But he's very young and nowhere near as powerful or charismatic as his idol. I'm sure he's making his way to Europe—according to Nora there's a core group of Octavian's contingents in Bern ready to pick up where he left off. His name is Benjamin Pope," Sabeen informed them all. "Bill, Tara—after we get the delegates healed and televise their rebuttal to Octavian's treasonous activities, you'll both be dispatched with Shashen'Ka and Victor back overseas to deal with them; Antanas and I will go to collect Pasteur and dismantle the Landstuhl operation. Our human crew will sweep this area at dawn and make sure that our vampire team has missed nothing in obliterating all evidence of the activities that took place here tonight."

"What about the humans who live here?" asked Tara.

"Most of the parishioners of this church come from other towns—there are only six residents remaining here and they have all been glamoured. Alright, children, it's approximately one forty-five—the Authority delegates are availing themselves of two dozen or so human guards that Octavian had posted here—when they are done healing they will meet with us all in Ashland, where troops are setting up for the closed circuit transmission—it's just over two and a half miles up the road, you can blink and be there. Eric..."

"Yes, Sabeen?"

"Take Sookie ahead and get her situated—I want you, Bill and Tara to help with the set-up in Ashland—we're going live at three am," she said to them all then.

Bill and Tara nodded at her and then the four of them took off.

"Come now..." she said to Antanas, Jessica and Blackburn, "our troops have it covered here, let's go see how Ridley and the others are doing..."

* * *

><p>In the basement storage area of the church Shashen'Ka and Victor and Julian were carting away dead human guards for disposal as the delegates concluded their ravenous speed-feed.<p>

"Give us a hand, would you?" smiled Shashen'Ka at Jessica and Blackburn as she headed out with two dead humans slung over her shoulders.

"What happened to them?" asked Jessica as she looked at the room full of still desiccated Authority members and then picked up two bodies from the pile on the floor.

"Valerius had them drained nearly dry before he re-silvered them for the cameras. The only reason they survived that is because not one of them is less than three thousand years old. He kept them near the brink only because he was waiting for me to join them; he saw my rescue on the surveillance cameras at Greenbrier—had I detonated that night as planned he truly would have televised their execution," said Nora quietly where she stood in the comforting embrace of Ridley Manners.

"I'm sorry that I ever doubted you, Nora," he told her then. "You saved our lives..."

"Sabeen saved your lives—I failed in my mission horribly," she said as she broke away from him and went to a bound terrified human guard and delivered him to a delegate to feed from.

"Nora, you must not be so hard on yourself. This has been a group effort and we've all come through with flying colors—thanks to you and Eric and all our fine comrades here. There's still much to do and more decisions to be made—we must stay focused," Sabeen told her gently.

"Sabeen is right," said Roberto Bertone as he flung a dead human away from himself violently. "I understand the necessity for the deception, Nora—your loyalty to the Authority is not in question. But there are plans to make and other threats to address. We must get to Ashland—I don't care what I look like—I'm prepared to engage in the new transparency required of us at this point in time—let the young ones see with their own eyes the priceless benefits of age and a well-ordered society where rules are not the enemy," he raged. "I'm sick to death of this strife and internal back-biting—we must bring it to an end once and for all." There were verbal assents peppered throughout the room from some of the other delegates.

"Very well put, Roberto, but I disagree," came the heavily accented and regal voice belonging to Jhoro Daar, a Somalian ancient who was looking like less of a mummy with each passing moment but still far from completely healed. "We must present ourselves at full health; we must show Octavian's actions to be a lie, assassinate his character fully and make him look like the insane fool that he truly was; our strength must not be in question and certainly not on camera. I'm all for transparency, but let's be honest—these young ones do not respect much; the visual image we level looking like this will outweigh our words in a way too devastating to recover from. We need more time..."

"We don't have time, Jhoro! Every minute of this night that goes by unanswered by us is a new recruit into chaos," said Reika Wakamatsu, a Japanese ancient and last female delegate in the group. "I don't want to go on like this, either, but business as usual is not going to work now."

"Benjamin can't possibly be in Bern yet, conceivably we have time to combat the ripple effects with a transmission promptly at sundown tomorrow night..." said Carlyle Stiobard to them both.

"Good on ya, Reika. I'm with her on this one, mates —we must be swift in our response...tomorrow night is too late," countered Jake Hutchence.

"We're wasting time, comrades—we've got to decide this one way or the other right now," came the exasperated voice of Borys Olesky. "Nora and Ridley are ready to go; she represents the youth of our kind and he stands for all that is great and terrible of the Ancients, eh? Let's put them out front tonight for an immediate rebuttal and follow up with the rest of our pissed-off—and healed— visible mugs tomorrow night?"

"Borys, I love you! That is perfect!" Reika smiled at him. "A good compromise, Jhoro, no?"

"A very good compromise," Jhoro agreed.

"Right, then that's settled," began Ridley with a sigh, "who's writing the speech?"

"Oh, Ridley, trouble yourself no more on that one," said Jhoro Daar with a faraway look in her eyes. "I've been working on that ever since the lovely fairy came with news of our rescue," she reassured him.

* * *

><p>In the basement of a non-descript house at the fork of Fountain Street and Malones Road in Ashland, Pennsylvania, everyone was assembled and had been properly introduced.<p>

"Sookie, Hunter is heavily guarded and asleep in a room above—I'm going to wait there until your meeting is over, if that's alright with you," Claudette whispered at her before she made to leave.

"Thank you so much, Claudette, I really appreciate that," Sookie gave her an kiss on her cheek.

"Claudette?" Claudette and Sookie turned to face the warm, bold voice of Ridley Manners and the eyes of all of the vampires in the room. "Please accept our sympathy for the loss of your friend, but know that we are forever indebted to you and Maurella for your help in this matter. Please accept our deepest gratitude and know that your safety is promised and will be law amongst our kind."

"Thank you, Mr. Manners." Claudette gave a humble bow and then left them to their business.

"Sookie, please join us," he said then. With only an hour to air Ridley Manners got down to business quickly.

"I think you can all see that the internal struggle we're facing is far from over, but the Authority does not feel that it is insurmountable. The actions of everyone in this room over this past week, and especially tonight, confirms that. I speak for all of us in the Authority when I say thank you to all of you here tonight for your brave, loyal and selfless efforts in ridding the world of Octavian Valerius," he said as he looked to Sabeen and her international crew.

"The decision has been made to rebut Octavian's previously aired declaration swiftly with one of our own. With a view towards implementing a new transparency of the Authority to our younger constituents, we will broadcast to them by dispensing with the shadows everyone has been accustomed to—in part. We must show our strength. Therefore, as Nora and I are the only completely healed members, we shall sit front and center in full view to address them now, representative of the Ancients and the youth of our kind. Because our other members are not completely healed we will broadcast tomorrow night in full view as a group, proving further that we are intact and still in command.

"After tomorrow night Shashen'Ka, Victor, Bill and Tara will return to Europe to deal with Benjamin Pope. This will be an on-going operation, so I advise the two of you to handle your stateside affairs and prepare to live abroad indefinitely," he said to Bill and Tara.

"Yes, Mr. Manners, we will, thank you." Bill spoke for them both.

"Sabeen and Antanas will also go to Europe on assignment. Sabeen, I understand you have Nan's progeny in your care?"

"Yes, I do, Mr. Manners."

"There is much to do and much to learn—Europe is an excellent place for fledglings to cut their teeth, so to speak, in my opinion. The decision is yours, however, as to whether you would like to take them with you or leave them here in America in the care of of another elder vampire."

Sabeen smiled at him. "I shall take them with me, thank you very much Mr. Manners."

"Very good. We have no suitable replacement in mind for Nan at this time, or for any other Monarchs, except one. Eric Northman..."

"Yes. Mr. Manners?"

"We would like to offer you the position of King of Louisiana. Would you accept?"

Eric looked truly stunned but recovered quickly.

"Yes, sir, I humbly accept."

"Then by the power vested in me as a member of the One True Vampire Authority, whose wisdom and justice we hold sacred, I hereby pronounce you King Eric Northman of Louisiana."

"I pledge my fealty to the Authority for as long as I walk this earth and I swear it upon the blood."

Everyone in the room applauded enthusiastically.

"I'm sorry to cut short the celebration, but I promise to make it up to you, King Northman. Nora..." Ridley held out his hand to his colleague, who was beaming a broad, proud smile at her sibling, "we're on, dear..."

* * *

><p>"In five...four...three...two...one..." came the voice of a vampire technician as he pointed to the two vampires before the cameras.<p>

"I am Ridley Manners."

"I am Nora Gainesborough."

"Last evening you heard from Octavian Valerius, an Ancient who assured you that he was the 'New Authority'. We are here to assure you that he is not; we are here to assure you that his treasonous transmission has garnered him only the True Death." said Ridley with a stern voice and reprimanding glare.

"If you will notice, we are not hiding behind the shadow of a silhouette. It is truly a new age and one where we endeavor to make ourselves more available to you. Now, more than ever, we realize there must be transparency within our ranks," said Nora with a warm smile. "As a young vampire myself I was honored to be admitted into the Authority, the first time in history that one under three thousand years old has ever been appointed. I was appointed to represent you, the young vampire.

"We are aware that many of you are not happy with the current edict in place regarding mainstreaming. We feel that a dialogue should be opened between us and are working to create a forum where those who have questions or feel that they have not had enough input in this decision may voice their complaints, concerns and suggestions," she continued. "Tomorrow evening between ten p.m. and four a.m. Eastern, I and the rest of the Authority invite you to Skype in and join us in an Online Town Hall meeting to answer any and all of your questions and discuss issues that matter most to you. Please go to AVL online and click on 'townhall' for more information."

"The internal divide amongst our kind must come to an end if we are to survive as a race. Treason and those who aspire to engage in treasonous activities will be dealt with accordingly—swiftly and without impunity. There are priceless benefits of eternal life but you will never realize them without participating in a well-ordered society where you understand that rules are not the enemy. To those who aspire to take up the mantle of your fallen, misguided leader—we know who you are and you have been put on notice. Thank you for your time. We are the One True Vampire Authority. We look forward to hearing from you tomorrow evening," Ridley Manners concluded.

"And out..." said the technician as he motioned to them.

"Let them stew on that before they go to ground," Jhoro Daar harrumphed to herself as she crossed her arms and leaned against a nearby wall next to Roberto Bertone. Her skin was only just beginning to give up its death grip on the frame of her skeleton.

"Will that be enough?" Sookie dared to ask.

Across the room Julian Cromwell let out a small chuckle. "It may not seem like much, Sookie, but it greatly discredits that horrid transmission from the night before. It will quell the fist-pumping upstarts into confusion and sobriety and puts a nice little bounty on Benjamin Pope's head, as well. Any vampire with a brain will think twice before falling in with him now."

"But they didn't see anything; they don't have any proof that Valerius is dead."

"They didn't have any proof that he killed us," Ridley addressed her. "But his dramatic presentation was more than convincing and had its intended effect—and it doesn't take much to embolden disgruntled vampires. But now his entire campaign comes into question and worse, makes him look like the insane Ancient they resent and fear becoming, especially when we all resurface before the cameras tomorrow night and he never does again. Everyone knows that he was a real threat. Was. We won't win them all over this way, but it is a start that gets us headed back in the right direction."

"God, I hope so," Sookie said in earnest.

"Are we going to ground here?" asked Jake Hutchence as he looked around the small basement disapprovingly.

"Yes, the cubbies are on the next level below," Sabeen told him.

"Well, take me to it—I'm looking forward to a proper morning's sleep," he grumbled.

"As I'm sure you all are. Come with me, everyone, and let me show you your accommodations..." Sabeen said as she led them all away.


	89. Congratulations

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 89 Congratulations

After Sabeen directed everyone to their modest quarters all of the delegates except for Nora retired for the morning, as well as Shashen'Ka and Victor. There was still some time before sunrise and many of the other vampires had their own personal matters to attend to. On their way upstairs to check with the human guards above they passed the open door of Eric's cubby and saw that he was joined by Nora, Sookie, Chow, Ginger, Blackburn, Jessica, Julian, Tara and Bill.

"Permission to enter?" she asked from the doorway. Nora went to the door, grabbed the smiling Ancient by the arm and pulled her in.

"Congratulations again, comrade—well done," said Antanas.

"King Northman, my most sincere congratulations to you, again," Sabeen gave him a formal curtsey.

"Thank you, Sabeen," he smiled down at her.

"Oh? What's this?" she said with mock indignance, "come here, you..." and with that she gave him a warm, motherly hug. "Alright, I promise never to embarrass you like that again." Everyone in the room laughed. "Carry on, then and we'll see you all this evening," she said as she and Antanas took their leave.

* * *

><p>As Antanas conferenced with the guards Sabeen placed a phone call.<p>

"Sabeen? Hi! I'm so glad to hear from you!" came Sarah's excited voice.

"And I am happy to talk to you, dear. How is Trey?"

"He's fine, were both fine. We saw the rebuttal..."

"Yes, Valerius has been put down but there are others to deal with. The situation at hand is going to require my attention abroad, Sarah."

"You mean we still won't see you? For how long now?" Sabeen could hear the crushing disappointment that Sarah was bravely trying to stave off.

"Not only will you see me, dear, you and Trey will be coming with me."

"What? Really?"

"Yes. I will come to collect you both after the town hall meeting commences—be ready!"

"We will be! I can't wait to see you..."

"And I miss you both, as well. One more night, Sarah. Give Trey my love and I will see you soon."

* * *

><p>"I know you all have phone calls to make and other things to do before going to ground," Eric began as he surveyed all of the others in the room regally, "but before you go, please indulge me in my first official order of business as your king and congratulate Chow as I appoint him to the position of Sheriff of Area 5."<p>

Everyone in the room lets out a cheer for Chow who smiled humbly at them all. Ginger jumped up and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug.

"Thank you, Ginger. And thank you, my Liege," Chow beamed at him.

"Long overdue, my friend," Eric told him.

"Viking..." Tara called him to attention angrily as she approached him; Eric raised an eyebrow and looked askance at her as if he was insulted and waited. She stood before him and looked up at him with defiant eyes.

"What the fuck?" Blackburn asked Jessica under his breath as he stood next to her with a shocked expression on his face. Jessica only smiled devilishly as her eyes remained glued to the scene before them.

"Congratulations, I'm really happy for you," she said finally as her killer smile broke across her face. Eric took advantage of the moment to do something he'd wanted to do ever since the night at Fangtasia when Tara stood so boldly up to Nan Flanagan; he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her unforgivingly upon her lips, greatly surprising her and everyone in the room. Sookie and Bill both cut uncomfortable eyes at each other quickly and then looked awkwardly away. When he released her Tara held herself together and remained cool, betraying the obvious heat between them that has scorched everyone in the room.

"Thank you," he said simply as he looked down at her with a smirk.

Bill went to Tara and took her gently by the arm to lead her away. "Congratulations, Eric. Good night," he managed and then they left.

"Congratulations, my Liege," said Jessica as she approached and curtsied before him, then gave him a quick kiss upon his cheek and a look that screamed 'No you didn't!'. As if he could read her mind he acknowledged her with a nod and laughed lightly before she skipped away and pulled Blackburn out along with her.

"Well, brother, I shall say goodnight, as well. Sookie..." Nora nodded her goodnight and collected Julian Cromwell as she went, who was still looking at his friend with unabashed shock. "Say good night, Julian," she told him.

"Goodnight, Julian," he parroted without catching himself as she drug him out.

"Eric, what the hell was that?" Sookie finally asked him angrily.

"Just something I've always wanted to do," he answered her honestly. Sookie was visibly miffed and stood with her arms crossed and a scowl upon her face. "Come here, you..." he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. "Kiss your king..."

"You're not my king, Eric Northman," she said in a huff as she pulled away from him.

"Stop it. I like Tara..." he said softly.

"I can see that," Sookie turned her back to him.

"But I love you..." he murmured at her; he turned her roughly around to face him and kissed her deeply.

* * *

><p>"What the hell was that?"<p>

"How the fuck am I supposed to know? He kissed me..." Tara said exasperatedly.

"It looked like you enjoyed it," Bill accused her.

"Aww, give me a break—you know he was just fuckin' with you, Bill. Hell, he was fuckin' with everybody—that's only his favorite thing in the whole damn world, act like you know," she scolded him.

"I do know, Tara, I know very well...that's what bothers me."

"I'll tell you what—try bothering me right now, instead..." she cooed at him as she came up behind him and embraced him.

"I'm tired, Tara...I just want to lie down," he said as he peeled her arms off of him and walked away.

"For real? You're really gonna be _that_ bitch?" Bill, who was unbuttoning his shirt, turned abruptly and gave her an insulted look. "Yeah, okay..." she said and left their cubby.

Bill sighed heavily and then threw his shirt onto the bed disgustedly.


	90. Breakfast With Ruby Jean

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 90 Breakfast With Ruby Jean

"Lettie Mae? Lettie Mae...wake up girl, you gonna be late for church!" her sister's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Lettie Mae!"

"Lord have mercy—you tryin' to wake the dead?" said Lettie Mae as she stumbled into Lafayette's kitchen, still wiping sleep from her eyes.

"Naw, girl, the dead been up already, productive enough for you and me both and back at rest again..." said Ruby Jean over a skillet of frying homemade sausages. "How you want yo eggs?"

"Oh! Buster! You little scamp..." she said to the frisky little salt and pepper cockerpoo mix that was jumping up at her for attention. "Behave yourself—yes, good morning to you, too..." she reached down and gave him a scratch behind the ears which seemed to satisfy him enough to scoot away. "No eggs for me, thank ya..." said Lettie Mae as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

"No, go get showered—I still gotta make the hoecakes—we're gonna eat a_l fresco_ this morning."

"What?"

"Outside, girl—it's a beautiful day. Go on, go get dressed."

"I was sleepin' so good—I thought you knew I ain't goin' to church today..."

"No, I didn't know—what's up with that?" Ruby Jean turned from the stove to face her sister.

"The good Reverend can handle it on his own today, that's all."

"Really? Hmm..."

"I'll tell you about when I come back..." she rose to go get dressed.

* * *

><p>"Perfect timing, sister-girl...sit yourself down and prepare to feast..." said Ruby Jean when her sister stepped out onto the porch refreshed and awake. "C'mon, sit yourself on down..."<p>

"I said I didn't want eggs..."

"Hush, girl, my omelets used to win awards in Home Ec—you know that."

"Yeah, they did—they do look good," agreed her sister as she spread a napkin across her lap and prepared to dig in. "Mmm...so good...thank you for breakfast, sister," Lettie Mae managed between bites.

"You're so very welcomed, baby."

"How you stand bein' out here all alone, Ruby Jean? I know I ask you that all the time, but ain't you scared out here at night?"

"No, for the last time. LaLa comes here at least three times a week and I got Buster to watch out for me. We're real good out here. What's on your mind, girl?"

"I miss my baby, Ruby Jean. She came back into my life and left me lickety-split. I haven't heard from her in weeks. You think she's alright?"

"She's fine, baby. I think you gonna hear from her real soon. You don't never feel her?"

"You know, I did a little bit before she was turned, but nothing now. Do you?"  
>"No, but I just know she's alright. Do you ever feel anyone else, sister?"<p>

"No, not really. I ain't really been tryin'. I think the good Reverend would flip out if I was anything like that anymore. He already don't cotton to my baby—if I had that ability and he knew about it...I don't want to think about it."

"Do you love him?"

"What kind of question is that?" Lettie Mae squirmed in her chair uncomfortably.

"Do. You. Love. Him?" her sister repeated softly after a forkful of sausage and eggs and then looked pointedly at her as she chewed slowly.

Lettie Mae froze like a deer in the headlights.

"It's a simple question, baby."

"He's my husband..."

Ruby Jean threw her fork down loudly upon her plate and shot her sister an exasperated look. "What's wrong, girl?"

"I just feel bad that he doesn't want to have anything to do with Tara."

"Tara is not a child; she does not live under your roof. He can feel anyway he wants to about her as long as he doesn't try to come between the two of you or treat you disrespectfully—does he ever do that?"

"No."

"Is your relationship sound otherwise?"

"For the most part."

"Well," Ruby Jean picked up her fork again and dove into her plate, "don't worry about the 'otherwise' and just concentrate on the 'for the most part'..."

"Do you think she still feels any of her power?"

"I don't know, but when I see her again I'm gonna ask her. I imagine she doesn't...her vampire nature has probably taken over that part of her. Of course, I'm just guessing. All I know is that she loves us and when she can come home she will. Just hold on sister," she told Lettie Mae reassuringly.

Lettie Mae managed a weak smile.

"Eat..." Ruby Jean ordered her.

"Well, tell me somethin' good—what you been doin' with yourself these days?" she said as she poured some extra honey on her hoecakes and ate her first forkful.

"Well, LaLa is all excited about Hajj—he just got his ihram in the mail last Friday."

"What?" asked Lettie Mae looking totally bewildered.

"Hajj—the pilgrimage to Mecca; he's been preparing for it since last October. You didn't know anything about it, did you?"

"Nothing. What's an 'eram'?"

"No, _ihram_..." Ruby Jean spelled it out for her. "It's the garment the men wear during the pilgrimage—it's simple but very beautiful—you want to see it?"

"No, thank you, maybe another time. What else is going on that I don't know about?"

"Don't be like that. Tommy is gonna start community college in Baton Rouge this fall."

"Tommy? Sam's brother?"

"Yeah. He's a real sweet boy. I went with him last month when he got his paperwork started."

"You did?"

"Yeah. We had a real nice ride there and back."

"I heard he's taken up with the white trash bartender—Jolene..." Lettie Mae began conspiratorially, happy to be able to comment on something she knew about.

"Lettie Mae, hush. Jolene is a nice girl."

"I heard she's old enough to be his mama..."

"She is not. They're two consenting adults and whatever they do or don't do ain't nobody's damn business."

"Well, why you getting' all huffy about it?"

"Because they're my friends. Maybe if you got out of church more often you'd have some, too."

Lettie Mae took the barb almost like a physical hit.

"I don't mean that how it sounds, honey," Ruby Jean said sincerely.

"Well, you just a scandal sheet walking, ain't you, Miss Social Butterfly? Who else you been hanging out with, since church folks ain't good enough for you," Lettie Mae harrumphed.

"Don't be like that, sister. I've been meetin' lots of nice people and keeping up with my friends. I visit Ginger quite a lot at Fangtasia and sometimes LaLa takes me to her house in Shreveport."

"Fangtasia? Ruby Jean!" Lettie Mae was horrified.

"Yes, Fangtasia. I have lots of friends there...just the other night..."

"Friends with vampires and fang..."

"Don't you say it, Lettie Mae! Your daughter is vampire and they're all people, too. I met a real nice lady named Patricia a little while back... she's a doctor, for supernaturals—real nice woman. She and I had a conversation one night I'll never forget. We were talking about the world in general and all of the wonders in it. And she said to me that her conviction had always been that if an organism existed then it must have been meant to exist in the vast cosmic slop that was life on earth. I agree with her.

"I go to Fangtasia because when your daughter was in trouble Ginger went to help her; when your daughter came home Ginger offered her hospitality and her home to us so that we could receive Tara; I go to Fangtasia because I have friends there and we enjoy each other's company and conversation—and sometimes they come to see me here. I go to Fangtasia because it feels good to be close to the people who are a part of my niece's world now—I fellowship with them as much as you do all the gossips you hang out with at church."

Lettie Mae flinched.

"Do you remember when LaLa was teething and the doctor gave me Anbesol to put on his gums?"

"What? Yes?"

"And I didn't know what it was or how it worked or if it was safe for my baby?"

"Yes—you tried it first to see what he would feel and how long it would work—what does that have to do with anything?"

"Fangtasia is Tara's Anbesol, to me, Lettie Mae; visiting with her friends, now my friends, helps me to know what she may be going through, what her life is like now. Sometimes I get news, but I never pry. I don't go to pump them for information, but I do take comfort in absorbing the atmosphere. I can't feel her anymore but my feeling in general when I'm with them all is a good one. I haven't been in a while because they've all been really busy, but my general feeling is still good. And I know that if she was ever truly in any real danger and they knew about it that they would tell me. So in the meantime I enjoy them and, as far as I know, they enjoy me. You should really try it sometime."

Lettie Mae was totally taken aback.

"How dare you sit here and try to lecture me..." she began angrily.

"I'm not lecturing you, sister—you asked me to tell you something good and I did. You can receive it or not. But I do suggest that you get your mind right real soon about this huge world of ours and realize that salvation can be found in plenty of other places besides inside the walls of a church." With that Ruby Jean cleared away her breakfast dishes and went into the house. In her chair Lettie Mae looked out into the bright morning and softly began to cry.


	91. A Girl's Best Friend

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 91 A Girl's Best Friend

"Tara?"

"Oh, hey, Sookie," Tara said, feeling a touch awkward.

"You've got the bleeds—what the hell are you doing out here this time of morning?"

"Bill and I had a little...tiff."

"I bet," Sookie said knowingly.

"Hey, Sook, that kiss was just Eric fucking with everybody...I would never..."

"I know, honey, you don't have to explain to me. I mean, it pissed me off at first, for sure, but I know how he is, believe me. Bill should know better, too."

"Yeah, he should, shouldn't he?" Both women chuckled lightly.

"Honey, you really need to get to a cubby..." Sookie told her, more than worried for her.

"I'm okay for a little while longer, really. When I really can't take it anymore I'll go back in there and kick his ass off the bed."

"Tara!" Sookie couldn't help but to laugh out loud.

"What are you doin' up?"

"Well, I should be exhausted, but it's morning and all, and I never really sleep well when...he's out. And mainly I wanted to go upstairs and call Hadley, let her know that Hunter was alright—Valerius' troops stormed my house and scared the bejesus out of them; abducted my baby right out of Hadley's arms and knocked Remy and Hadley unconscious..."

"That motherfucker..."

"That dead motherfucker—thanks to you."

"And you. We've always been a good team, Sook. I'd hug you right now but I don't want to get blood all over you."

"And since when do I give a damn about that? Come here..." Sookie said as she held out her arms to her best friend. They sat down on the over-sized chair that Tara had been curled up in.

"It feels good to hold you, Tara. I've been missing you so much."

"I've been missing you, too. Oh Sookie, when are we ever gonna catch a break? When I took this job I thought I'd be fighting mad, evil human scientists, or prejudiced politicians, or some such shit. I had no idea that the biggest enemies I'd be facing would be ourselves. Damn." Tara sighed disgustedly.

"Our biggest enemy is always ourselves, don't you think? That's what history has to show us: Hitler, Stalin, Hirohito, Pol Pot; Russell Edgington, Maryann, Steve Newlin—before and after—Octavian Valerius—human, supernatural—there's always some bat-shit crazy fucker just waiting to come out of the woodwork and spoil things for everybody."

"Damn girl, you really did pay attention to Miss Higgins in eighth grade, didn't you?" Tara chuckled.

"I sure did." The women were silent for a while.

"Sookie, I really am happy for you and Eric. I really was only trying to congratulate him."

"Oh, I know, stop worrying yourself about that. Honestly, it doesn't really surprise me. I mean, you all have such raw, powerful sexuality...and me—with every passing day I'm becoming more and more of a eunuch."

"You can't be a eunuch..." Tara began with a hard roll of her eyes and a snort of laughter.

"You know what I mean—I don't know how much I longer I can hold his interest, anyway. I haven't been able to make love since New Orleans."

"Well, duh, that's understandable. It's going to take time, Sook, and you've had absolutely none to yourself to even really begin healing from it. When you get back to Bon Temps you're going to need to double up on your meetings with Holly."

"No, actually; I spoke with Jason briefly—Holly's found a psychologist to work with us—Jason's been to see him and has had a breakthrough already."

"That's fantastic, Sook!"

"Yeah. Anyway, Eric has been really patient and loving about it, but he's bound to find it necessary to...you know..." she trailed off awkwardly. "I mean, what if I'm never able to again? And it's not like I'm his consort or anything, he doesn't need me around..."

"First of all, he does need you—he loves you. Secondly, every monarch does not have a consort—I've heard that vampire king of Virginia is single and big ho—yes, ho—and he's not _tryin'_ to have a consort," Tara told her conspiratorially. "But you didn't hear it from me..."

Sookie laughed.

"And thirdly, the Authority loves you, girl. If ever they bent the rules to let another supernatural become vampire, I damn sure bet they'd bend 'em for you. I'm just sayin'," Tara yawned.

"Oh Tara, I love you so much," Sookie gave her friend a little squeeze and then yawned, too.

"Right back at ya."

"So, you're going to Europe to live," Sookie sighed heavily.

"Yep."

"I sure would love to throw y'all a going away bash."

"That would be sweet."

"You gonna see your mama before you go?"

"Yes, and LaLa and Jesus—and Ruby Jean. I won't have much time, but I'm not leaving here without seeing their faces, I'll tell you that much."

"Good."

They were silent for another while.

"Tara?"

"Hmm?"

"You're gettin' awful heavy, honey...I really think you need to get to your cubby...Tara? God, you're heavy..." Sookie groaned as she tried to extricate herself and found it impossible to do. She began to panic. "Tara? Wake up, sweetie, I can't move you...Tara, please wake up, for just a minute...the sun, honey..."

Just then Bill appeared before her.

"I have her," he smiled down at her and took Tara easily into his arms.

"Oh, thank God..."

"Thank you, Sookie, for always being a friend," he told her softly.

"Thank you, Bill—I love you both. Go on now, good morning."

"Good morning," he said and then disappeared from her.


	92. Town Hall

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 92 Town Hall

When Sookie went upstairs to make her phone call she was surprised to find two more vampires awake and carrying on as if the sun didn't even exist in their universe.

"Good morning, Sookie," said Sabeen brightly. Across the room Antanas was in conference with a human guard.

"Good morning—you're not bleeding...and sunlight is coming in this room..." Sookie remarked incredulously. "I'm sorry, that's so rude of me..."

"Not at all, dear—the benefits of age, that's all. Normally when I'm up at this hour I'm at home in my cave very protected from the sun; I can get by on three or four hours of sleep every day. But Antanas and I had some matters to attend. Last night was quite a busy one, however, and we will need to retire very soon."

"Wow. Well, I was just going to place a call to Hunter's mother..."

"There's a secure line in the kitchen that you can use, if you need it."

"Great!"

"Before you go I just want to tell you that, amongst other things, we've been arranging your transport home today, Sookie. A helicopter is waiting to take you and Hunter to the airport as soon as you're ready to go."

"Uh, well, I kind of thought I might stay for the meeting—I really would like to see how it goes."

Just then Claudette entered the room.

"Good morning Sabeen—Sookie..."

"Good morning, Claudette. Did you rest well?" asked Sabeen.

"Just fine, thank you. Hunter seems to be quite exhausted—he's still asleep. Sookie, if you would allow me, I'd be happy to accompany Hunter home to his parents so that you can stay here."

"Oh Claudette, really? Thank you so much, I would really appreciate that."

"Well, that's settled, then. Ladies, there's food in the kitchen, guards posted all around this house and area for your protection. When you're ready to go just tell Mr. Stern there," she turned and signaled to the guard speaking with Antanas who nodded back at her, "and he will personally see you off."

"Thank you, Sabeen," Sookie smiled at her.

Antanas approached them all then and put his hand to the small of Sabeen's back when he joined her.

"Hello ladies, and good morning. Sabeen, I'm getting a touch overheated..." he informed her.

"Good morning to you both. Have a safe journey back, Claudette and thank you again for all of your help."

"Thank you."

"Sookie, we'll see you this evening." With that Sabeen and Antanas left them.

"Well, shall we try to wake Hunter and feed him or give him a little more time to rest?" Claudette asked Sookie then.

"Let me call his momma and see what she wants us to do. My cell phone is dead...come on..." Sookie hooked her arm through Claudette's and walked with her to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes before the sun went down Sabeen and Antanas were up overseeing the final touches being added to the set that had been constructed in the living room earlier in the day. Sookie had seen Claudette and Hunter off at noon and had then indulged in lengthy phone calls with Alcide and Jason before she took a shower, changed her clothes and then went back to Eric's cubby to lie down for a little nap. She woke up with Eric and went with him immediately to the first floor of the house to find it abuzz with activity.<p>

Sookie could see that the six remaining Authority delegates had all healed and were being made up for the cameras; Ridley Manners was conferencing with various technicians while Eric joined Nora on set where the laptops were stationed and began powering them all up; all of the other vampires stood quietly, watching the proceedings as well.

"Hey, Sook..." Tara greeted her with a hug. "Did you get yourself some rest today?"

"A little. Hunter and Claudette left at noon today..."

"Good...home safe and sound?"

"Yeah, safe and sound. You and Bill make up?"

Tara laughed softly. "Yeah, we're cool."

"Good. Three hours to air..."

"Yep, I can't wait to see this," Tara said with a voice full of skepticism.

"C'mon, you gotta be more positive than that, honey..." Sookie told her gently.

"Yeah, I know. I really do hope that it goes well, but we're just fighting against so much..."

"I know...but look around...they really pulled some amazing stuff together and in such a short time. Don't you just love that backdrop? Looks like it could be any metropolitan city in America and so real! Like if you stepped through it you'd plummet hundreds of stories to your death..."

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, I guess," Tara said unenthusiastically.

"C'mon, you...let's go see if there's anything we can do to help—or do you need to eat? There's a ton of Tru Blood in the fridge..."

"Sounds good—I am hungry. Then we'll see if they need us for anything. Bill?" she called over to him where he stood talking to Julian Cromwell. He looked a question at her. "You hungry?"

Bill excused himself and approached them.

"I am, actually. Good evening, Sookie," he smiled at her.

"Hey. We were just heading to the kitchen..." The three of them left the room.

In another corner of the room that had been outfitted as a makeshift booth Ridley Manners was talking to a petite brunette. "You're the screener?"

"Yes, sir, Jana Trent, at your service. I've had ten years experience as a human screener with Phil Donahue—radio and television; ten years as a vampire with Dr. David Viscott, and twenty years with various programs on CNN, MSNBC and NPR. You tell me what you don't want to hear and I'll make sure it doesn't get through," she assured him.

"Any Skype or call that refers to fairies, tastier blood, blood additives, rumors of blood additives—I want it squashed—then traced, tracked, isolated—whatever it is that you do. The same goes for any polarizing calls that deal with vampire superiority over humans—do you get me?" he asked her menacingly.

"I get it, sir."

While Miss Trent was taking instructions from Ridley Manners, Jhoro Daar had finished with make-up and was passing out the bullet points for the meeting to the other delegates.

"You all look great—welcome back to health. These are the talking points we must remain focused on..." she said as she handed out the typed notes to the other delegates.

* * *

><p>Finally the appointed hour was upon them. The eight delegates were seated behind their laptops and all logged on to Skype with cameras rolling, as well. Sookie and all of the other vampires—Eric, Bill, Tara, Sabeen, Antanas, Julian, Ginger, Blackburn, Jessica, Shashen'Ka, Chow and Victor—were seated across the room looking on with rapt attention.<p>

"In five...four...three...two...one...transmissions up...roll cameras...and you're on..." said the vampire technician from the night before as he pointed to Manners.

"We are the One True Vampire Authority. I am Ridley Manners. Welcome to our first AVL Town Hall Meeting."

"I am Nora Gainesborough. As promised we are here to address the issues that matter to you regarding mainstreaming and any other matters that you would like to discuss. Thank you for joining us tonight."

"You have been accustomed to being addressed by our spokesperson, Nan Flanagan. Tonight we come to you and represent ourselves," said Manners. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. Ridley Manners, Supreme Chancellor, aged 4,615 years."

"Nora Gainesborough, Delegate, aged 425 years."

"Roberto Bertone, Delegate, aged 4,375 years."

"Jhoro Daar, Delegate, aged 3,576 years."

"Reika Wakamatsu, Delegate, aged 3,700 years."

"Carlyle Stiobard, Delegate, aged 4,050 years."

"Jake Hutchence, Delegate, aged 3,888 years."

"Borys Olesky, Delegate, aged 4,500 years."

"This is an informal forum. You are not required to give your full name or your location but may give them if you choose to do so. We will ask that you give your vampire age so that we may properly address your questions. We welcome all questions. The floor is open," said Ridley Manners then. Manners received the first Skype call.

"Hello, my name is Vicki," said an attractive vampire who looked like she had just stepped away from a board meeting, "I'm in Los Angeles and I'm 275 years old. Quite simply, I feel that we were safer in the shadows as part of a fringe society. I just don't feel safe since we've come out of the coffin. I mean, really—what are you doing to ensure our safety? Thank you."

"We have drafted an amendment to the Constitution of the United States known as the Vampire Right Amendment to ensure our rights, safety and protection. You can read the bill in its entirety on the AVL website. Have you acquainted yourself with it, Vicki?" Manners asked her.

"No, I haven't, not for myself."

"Everything you need to know is contained in that bill. I suggest that you and all vampires read it and then come back to us with more questions after you do so."

"I'll do that. Thank you, Chancellor."

Roberto Bertone got the next question from a caller.

"Hello, I'm a fledgling, just made vampire, ah, six months ago," came the skeptical voice of a man with a very distinctive New England accent. "If our numbers are so, ah, few and we're so vulnerable—especially young ones like me—aren't we further endangered by being known to humans? What if, for instance, they want us to start taking part in the damned census?"

"Very good question, caller. If you read the VRA bill you will see the article addressing the census that stipulates that vampires are not to be included in it as it regards our safety. And may I remind you that we have the full support of Senator William Bradford and others who want to see our bill passed as proposed," Bertone assured him.

"Yeah, you say," the man said disgustedly before he hung up.

"Thank you, caller."

Jhoro Daar received the next call.

"Hi, my name is Rigoberto from Miami. I'm 340 years old." he began with an angry tone. "I enjoy hunting, shall we say—well, correction—I used to. It's why I relocated to Miami—so many good eats here-uh, I mean, used to be. Tru Blood is aesthetically unpleasing and I hate it. Why should I have to be forced to drink it?"

"Thank you, Rigoberto, I believe you speak for many dissatisfied vampires. But I believe you are getting too caught up in semantics. 'Hunting'; 'feeding'; 'sustenance'; 'good eats'—what you're really talking about is warm, refreshing, delectable living human blood. Mainstreaming vampires are not birds with clipped wings imprisoned in cages. We are free beings. The drinking of human blood has not been outlawed. You are concentrating so much on one aspect of your being that you are forgetting that there are safe havens in the form of clubs, all around the world—a product of the VRA bill, I might add, enabling vampires to own and operate such buisinesses—where you can still feed on _willing_ humans, safely and discreetly. If the issue is warm, refreshing, delectable living human blood what difference does it make how you get it as long as you get it, in a manner that doesn't break any laws and endanger your being? When you were human, did you eat caviar every day, Rigoberto?"

"Well, no—never tried it and never wanted to."

"Alright," she made an effort to keep her composure, "Did you dine on fine cuisine of any other sort?"

"Well, yes..."

"But not everyday, correct?"

"Well, no..."

"My point is that there is fine cuisine, delicacies—food that we savor on special occasions—and the regular stuff—the food that doesn't always satisfy but nourishes you, nonetheless—mainstreaming is no different. No one has outlawed our fine cuisine, Rigoberto, it is still there for us. Does it really matter if you get it chasing down and terrorizing some human or not? Is a frightened human more tasty than a willing one? The thing is the blood, flowing down your throat, warm and fresh—available. Don't you think?"

"Well, I never thought about it like that," the pensive vampire admitted. "Thank you."

"Thank you."

Next to Eric Sookie whispered at him, "Damn, she's good..."

Eric smiled.

Daar got another call.

"Uh, hello...Marlene, 128 years old. You all keep taking about laws and protection. Laws are broken every day, our protection is not assured. What about that?"

"You are correct—laws are broken, every minute of the day. But broken laws carry the consequence of punishment. That works both ways, of course. With the VRA bill vampires are recognized as beings with the same rights afforded to humans. Yes, vampires have been murdered by humans. Before the VRA bill that was not a crime, and especially not one punishable by the law. I'm not saying we should just lay down our lives and suffer atrocities that humans are so famous for inflicting as a result of their fear, but the law is a two way street. We cannot afford to be barbarians any longer. We can, however, afford to be more human than humans; when you lead by example—consistent example—others tend to fall in line. It may not happen over night, but it happens. Bottom line? Our rights are worth fighting and dying for. Let's concentrate more on the fighting of the good fight rather than suffering the True Death."

"I'm sorry, I still don't buy it. Just being known as real entities and not stuff of myths and Hollywood movies has made us vulnerable. We're vulnerable and they're scared—never a good combination where humans are concerned. I'm just sayin', Delegate Daar."

"May I, Delegate?" asked Carlyle Stiobard of his colleague as he took the call over.

"I understand you completely, Marlene. But they're afraid because of insane Ancients, like Russell Edgington—who has met the True Death _by our hand_; because of insane Ancients like Octavian Valerius—who has met the True Death _by our hand_. Both of them set our cause back to the dark ages and we must recover from that. We absolutely have to and we will. And we are here tonight to prove to you that all Ancients are not insane; not misguided; not despotic; not living so far out of reality that they are a threat to the world—supernaturals and humans alike.

"The prospect of eternity does not have to be bleak and hopeless—or feared. To survive the world as long as we have is a thing to be revered, not despised; to be celebrated, not destroyed; a testament to our strength—strength that each one of you possesses and will increase over time. Edgington and Valerius were crazed Ancients because they were crazed humans and many people only become more of what they are as they grow older. Hence the importance of choosing your progeny very, very carefully." In his ear Stiobard heard Jana Trent telling him that Marlene was going into a tirade and had been cut off. Without missing a beat he continued. "Before Edgington and Valerius we were making excellent inroads in the VRA campaign. We are trying to get back on track and we need all of you to help us and ultimately—to help yourselves. We must all step up to the plate and be ambassadors of positive change. We would like fine vampires, such as yourself, Marlene, to help us achieve that. Thank you for your call."

Jake Hutchence got the next Skype call.

"Hello, sir...Timothy, 75 years old, Louisiana," came the heated greeting from a handsome vampire who looked to have been in his early twenties when he was made, "I can tell you for a fact the our coming out has brought the wrath of other supernaturals upon us—we've been hearing reports about the problem in Bon Temps where other supes are being killed in cold blood and they blame us for it—what about that?" he asked angrily.

From his seat Manners shot Jana Trent a vicious look that she ignored as she stayed focused on Hutchence's ear. Sabeen and Shashen'Ka left the group to see if they could be of some assistance to her.

"Yes, Timothy, our intel on this situation so far points to humans as the culprits behind these hateful crimes," Hutchence began in his thick Australian accent. "Human law enforcement agencies are working on this sad development as we speak. This vicious circle of fear was mitigated as a direct result of Russell Edgington and his heinous display on national television. This is exactly the kind of bad public relations we are still combating and can't allow to happen again, in any manner. We're here tonight to show you that rules ensure order; transparency dispels misinformation and unwarranted fear; laws provide protection. All of these elements in concert lead to tolerance, and with dedicated, honest, reverent and willing participation sow the seeds of acceptance amongst all races, human and supernatural. No one is innocent, on either side, but it is time for us to show humans that they need not fear us; we have far more to fear from them than they have to fear from us; now more than ever we are calling upon you all to be the new representatives of humanity; to show them what it means to be more human than human; that the embodiment of humanity comes in all forms, living and undead, human and supernatural alike. We can turn back the tide of hate but we must be united in that endeavor. We simply cannot afford any more setbacks; we all serve a better purpose than to exist as everyone's scapegoat for all the ills of the world. Thank you for your call, mate."

In their seats the other vampires spoke in hushed tones to one another.

"I don't know if this was such a good idea..." Blackburn said to Julian Cromwell sitting beside him. Julian gave a deep sigh.

"It's going to be a long night, I can tell you that," he replied.

"Mr. Manners looks like he's gonna bust a gut," said Sookie as she looked worriedly over at him.

"This dialogue is necessary—Jana's doing a great job—I just came from her booth—you should hear the calls that _didn't _get through," Sabeen informed them when she took a seat quietly amongst them again. "It's going well, children, believe me..."

They all turned their attention back to the panel where Borys Olesky was listening to his caller.

"...and y'all sure picked a fine time to ask us how we feel about all of this after the decision has already been made..." came the angry Southern drawl of his female caller.

"Let us be perfectly clear, caller: the mainstreaming movement was not implemented as a covert plan; all vampires were canvased internationally, by territory in 1985 and again in 2007, a year before the Tru Blood Rally in Washington, D.C. A majority vote of all vampires _who responded _welcomed the advent of the availability and mass production of Tru Blood and further gave us the mandate to proceed with drafting the Vampire Right Amendment. Thank you for your call."

* * *

><p>"Hey! He cut me off!" said the angry woman who was back on the line with Jana Trent.<p>

"He didn't cut you off, ma'am...we have hundreds of other callers just like yourself who would like the opportunity to speak. I ended your call only in the interest of equal time for other callers. Thank you so much for your call and your comment," Jana said with a professional smile in her voice that belied the scowl on her face as she hung up on the woman.

"Are you sure you've got this all by yourself? Can any of us help?" asked Shashen'Ka of the harried woman.

"No, I've got this—but thanks, anyway," Jana managed to tell her before she directed her attention back to Reika Wakamatsu, who had the next call.

* * *

><p>Finally the meeting was drawing to its close as the last call had been taken and answered.<p>

"We would like to thank all of you Skyped and called in. If you would like more information on the next scheduled Town Hall meeting, or would like to leave comments, please go to AVL online and click on 'Town Hall Forums'," smiled Nora into the camera. "We look forward to speaking with you again. Thank you for your time and participation. We are the One True Vampire Authority. Good morning."

"And out..." barked the vampire technician to the delegates. "Okay everybody, that's a wrap. C'mon guys, let's break it down, two hours to ground—chop-chop, people," he barked out next to the crew.

"Come children, let's give them a hand," Sabeen said to the others as they stood in the middle of the whirling dervish that was the crew packing up the set.

"Sookie, you're tired...go on to the cubby and get some rest. If you want to go home later in the morning ahead of me I'll understand," Eric told her with a smile.

"Yeah, okay. Good morning, y'all." Sookie left them.

Ridley Manners approached Sabeen then, as the other delegates stood talking amongst themselves quietly and out of the way.

"You don't look happy, Ridley—it went well, it really did."

"My mind is on a hundred other different issues, Sabeen. Is the church squared away?"

"Completely restored to its prior pristine condition. I know you're ready to kiss Pennsylvania goodbye, Ridley—just one more morning. Go on to ground, we've got it up here."

"Good morning, Sabeen."

"Good morning."


	93. Welcome Home

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 93 Welcome Home

"I think you're late for work, Mr. Merlotte."

"I _know_ I'm late for work, Ms. Camp. But you know what?" Sam asked her playfully.

"What?"

"My boss can kiss my ass..."

Zola laughed out loud as Sam hugged her tighter to him.

"Damn, I'm not ready to go."

"Well, you better go—my shift starts soon and you won't be home until sundown as it is, Sam."

"I know. I already called Terry while you were sleeping. He's got it. And I'll make it up to him."

"You sure are a good boss," she smiled at him and then gave him a sweet kiss on his lips.

"Lately...thanks to you," he said soberly.

"Me?"

"Yeah...you. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have needed extra help to run the place; which means there would have been no promotions and no raises because I would have been driving myself crazy trying to do everything alone, working with a skeleton crew and driving all my employees crazy. I've been a bad boss, Zola. I've been a bad businessman; a bad brother; a bad friend to the people who love me. I've been wallowing in myself for so long that I just didn't know anything else. And then God saw fit to bring you into my life. And you are heaven sent, darlin' don't you doubt it.

"I know I haven't known you long, but I told you the first night I met you that I wanted you to be mine. And I know it's much too soon to ask you; I know that you have a job and a life here; I know that you need more time than this to get to know me better, but you _are_ Mrs. Merlotte, Zola...just as soon as you'll have me. And I can wait. You've made me the happiest man on Earth these past three days—I'm gonna be crazy without you, but we're really working on something here, right? Please tell me that I'm not imagining things?" he asked her in earnest as he looked deeply into her eyes.

Zola gave him a sweet smile as a tear formed in the corner of her eye. "Now look what you made me do," she sniffled as she wiped at her eye with the back of her hand. "You're not imagining things, Mr. Merlotte," she told him softly.

* * *

><p>"I don't mean to be all in your business, but what will you do now, Claudette?" Alcide asked the worried looking fairy sitting across from him in Sookie's living room. He had been there when she and Hunter arrived from Pennsylvania at Sookie's request to watch over them all until she got home. Hadley came back into the room then with sandwiches and cold sun tea.<p>

"I don't really know," she answered honestly. Alcide's heart went out to her.

"Will you try to find the others that were lost when you came here?"

"I imagine, if they were lucky, they may have made their way back to their own loved ones. If it's meant for us to find each other again we will. I do hope they're alright."

"Well, you have us, Claudette," said Hadley as she reached out her hand and took Claudette's into it. "I'm indebted to you forever for saving my son's life. Anything I can do...just ask it..."

"Thank you for that, dear Hadley. I'm just glad that I could help. But please, both of you...I'll sort things out eventually. Thank you for being my friends. Let's concentrate on happier things. I'm very happy about you and your husband, Hadley, but I fear Sookie will miss you greatly."

"We'll miss her, too, but our new place is not that far away—not more than twenty minutes away from where Alcide lives, actually. We'll still be around regularly. And I can't wait for you to come after we get all set up, Claudette. You can come anytime and stay as long as you like. We should be set up in a couple of weeks."

"That's so sweet of you, Hadley, I do look forward to that—thank you."

"What? Set up where? Hadley?" asked Sookie from the doorway looking confused and tired.

Both women rose and ran to greet her as Alcide stood and waited to welcome her.

"Sookie, Remy got a truck driving job in Bossier City! He's been saving up his money and put a down payment on a nice little two bedroom house that we can add on to if we want later—we were waiting for you to come home...we're leaving this evening after Remy comes home from the hospital."

"How is he?" she asked as she put down her bags.

"He had a concussion and they wanted to keep him for observation, but he's fine honey—he starts his new job next Monday and I just thank God all he needed was four stitches."

"How about you, honey?" Sookie gave her cousin a long, strong hug. "I'm so sorry..."

"I'm fine, honey—thanks to Claudette and you and everybody who helped put that awful bastard down." Sookie broke away from her cousin reluctantly and then went to Alcide.

"Saying 'thank you' doesn't begin to cover my appreciation for you Alcide, and all...all of..." All of a sudden something inside of Sookie broke as all of the events of the past few weeks descended upon her mind and soul, like a burning jet plane falling from the sky headed straight for her. She broke down into uncontrollable tears and was about to fall into a heap on the floor when Alcide caught her in his arms.

* * *

><p>Over a thousand miles away where they slept Eric and Bill both woke up in paralyzed alarm as they each felt Sookie's crushing pain and their own torment over being unable to help her. Bill's thoughts went immediately to Eric and his certain anguish before the Little Death overtook him again. In his cubby Eric railed against his dead limbs as he rose with a vicious snarl, a single blood tear streaming down his cheek.<p>

* * *

><p>When Sookie woke up a few hours later Jason and Hadley were sitting by her bedside.<p>

"Jason? Hi honey..." she said dreamily. "Hadley...is Remy home yet? You guys gotta get to your new house..."

"No Sookie, I can't leave you like this," Hadley said with tears streaming down her face.

"Oh honey, don't you dare. You have a fine husband and a beautiful son and y'all have a life to get to. I'm so happy for you all...now you get and go see to him—he needs you right now. I have Jason to look after me..."

"You sure do, sweetheart..." he said as he took one of her hands into his own and kissed the back of it.

"Go on, now...I'll be alright, I promise. I'm just tired, is all."

"Jason?"

"I got her, cuz," he smiled at Hadley.

"Go on, now...and get ready for a housewarming party real soon, hear me?"

"I hear you. I love you, Sookie..." Hadley bent down and gave her cousin a final hug and kiss to the forehead.

"Backatcha, honey. Give Hunter and Remy hugs and kisses for me."

"I will." With that Hadley left.

"Wow, now I know how Terry must feel," she said as she looked to her brother then.

"Look, sis...I called Holly before I came over here...Dr. Laborde is ready to meet with you in the morning, hon. He's really good—I know he can help you."

"I sure hope so. Thank you, Jason."

"Can I get you anything, sweetheart?"

"It's good just to see your sweet face, right now. How are the kids?"

"They're all downstairs ready to hug your neck as soon as they can get to you...well, Becky and Timbo, at least," he chuckled lightly.

"You look good, Jason."

"I feel pretty good. But I'll feel a helluva lot better when you get yourself on the proper road to healing, Sook. I don't care what the fuck happens from here on out—you gotta look after you, right now. Period. You just gotta."

"I know. Eric and I were just talking about that the other day."

"Day?"

"Yeah, actually..." she chuckled incredulously to herself. "I think I can get up now, Jason. I really want to see everybody. Did Alcide go home yet?"

"No, he's waiting to say goodbye."

"Okay, come on...that nap helped a lot."

"It wasn't a nap, Sook..." Jason began delicately, "you passed out, honey..."

"Well, I'm awake now...and I want to get out of this damn bed and see the kids..."

"Well alright, I'm not trying to stop you...c'mon, just take it easy, okay?" he said as he helped her out of bed.

"Here, let me help..."

Sookie looked up to see Alcide standing in the doorway before he advanced toward her. He scooped her up easily and gave her a smile.

"You okay now?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Look, I'm going to Merlotte's for a while. Call me if you need anything."

"What I need is for you not to hang around worrying about me, Alcide Herveaux. Do _not_ go to Merlotte's and then fall asleep in your truck. Go home and get some rest, yourself. I've kept you from your life long enough as it is."

"You haven't kept me from my life, Sookie."

"Just go home after you're done hanging out—promise me..."

"I promise," he smiled at her.

"Okay, good. C'mon guys, I got babies downstairs that I need to smother with kisses..."

* * *

><p>When Sam finally got to work he found everything running smoothly. He went immediately to the kitchen to check in with Terry.<p>

"Hey! Boss! Good to have you back!"

"It's good to be back. Looks like y'all did just fine without me around here..."

"Naw, we did just fine once the Molteni Man came and fixed that stove, baby..." said Lafayette with a snap of his finger. "Welcome home, sweetness—we always miss you when you ain't here...but you look good, boss...you need to get away more often..." Lafayette smirked seductively at him.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way, cuz I'm inclined to agree," Sam beamed at him.

"I know you are, baby...Arlene! Catfish and spaghetti—pick up, hookah!"

"Lafayette, I told you to stop calling me that," said Arlene angrily when she came to the pick-up window. "Hey Sam! Good to have you back!" she told him before she rushed off with her orders.

"Well, looks like I'm not needed back here..."

"Nope," said Terry as he stood at the stove preparing another order of blackened catfish. Sam smiled to himself and headed to the bar where he found Alcide having a beer.

"Hey, man! Good to see you!"

"Good to see you—you have a nice trip?"

"I sure did."

"Cool."

"How about you, man?"

"Yeah...I need to talk to you, Sam...in private." Sam could tell that Alcide was struggling to keep his composure.

"Sure, man...come on back to my office..."

* * *

><p>"Damn." Sam leaned back heavily in his chair with his hand to his mouth in shock. "That's a lot to take in."<p>

"You're telling me."

"Is Sookie alright?"

"I don't think so. She's gonna see a doctor in the morning—a psychologist—coming down from Shreveport at Holly's request."

"Wow. How is everybody else? How's Tara?"

"Okay, I guess...I've only talked to Sookie, but Tara was fine when they left for Pennsylvania. She's going back to Europe with Bill; they all survived—except for Maurella."

"Wow. And Eric Northman is the vampire king now?"

"That's what Sookie said. But there's more, Sam. I hate to tell you—and I'm sure Sheriff Bellefleur is working his way around to you—but two of your shifter friends have been murdered, man. I'm so sorry."

"What?"

"Emory Broome and Suzanne McKittrick."

"What? Why? Who? What the fuck?"

"Humans, Sam...hunting down supernaturals like we're all just fucking in season, man. I suggest you travel in your shifter form—they know who we are, Sam. Warn all of your friends to be careful and be on the look out. They typically hit drive-by style and wear masks. Eric Northman will be working on that as soon as he gets back to town."

"Thanks, Alcide, I appreciate you, man."

"Of course. I've got to get back to my pack and warn them. Stay safe, buddy...I'll keep you posted on anything else I hear."

"Thanks, same here. Be careful."

Alcide nodded and then left.

Sam whipped out his cell phone and dialed Tommy immediately but got his voice mail. He left a brief message and then called Luna.


	94. Suffer The Little Children

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 94 Suffer The Little Children

"I feel like I've been away forever. God, it's so good to see you all," beamed Sookie after she'd hugged Becky and Timbo and given Michelle and Corbett kisses to their tiny cheeks as Jason held them. Michelle began to fuss and Sookie took her gladly from her brother then sat down on the couch. "Well, sit down with me—I want to hear all about school...how's it been so far?" she looked at them both excitedly.

"I like it a lot, aunt Sookie," smiled Timbo. "I'm learning to read real go...I mean, real well. The better readers in my English class help the not so good readers and my tutor is real good. When you do get better Mr. Bean promotes you to tutor—I can't wait to get promoted," he told her, as if he still couldn't believe himself how well he was doing.

"Well, that doesn't surprise me one little bit, Timbo. I see you both being the first ones in our family to go to college—you just mark my words."

Timbo smiled proudly.

"How about friends? Y'all been makin' some?"

"Donnie's been teaching me how to drive," Timbo told her proudly.

"That's great, Timbo!"

"Yeah, been a real favor to me cuz I just ain't had the time like I want to help him with that," Jason smiled at his sister.

"I got a girlfriend, aunt Sookie, and she's real nice. We took right to each other on my first day! She showed us both around school and everything. Her name is Hannah," Becky informed her excitedly. "She comes over here and we study together and listen to music and just have all kinds of fun. She invited me spend the night at her house and Jason let me! We had so much fun. She lives with her daddy and grandma."

"That's so wonderful, baby! What about her momma?"

"Oh," Becky's enthusiasm died a little as she looked down at the floor with a sad expression.

"Oh no—is her momma sick or something? Becky, honey?"

"Her momma is a vampire. Hannah said she went away when she was in third grade and when she came back one night a few months ago to visit her daddy almost staked her."

"Oh my God, that's horrible. Jason, did you know that?" Sookie turned to him totally aghast.

"No..." he cast an angry glare at Becky. "Why didn't you tell me that, little girl? I never would have let you spend the night over there if I had known that."

"I'm sorry, Jason, but that's why I didn't. Hannah was so sad when she told me about it—she needed me and I wanted to be there for her."

"Aw baby..." Jason's heart was breaking for Becky as well as Hannah. "She really is a sweet girl, Sook. I really didn't know."

"Well, you know what?" Sookie looked at them all, "the important thing is that you have yourself a really good friend, Becky and you're a really good friend, as well. God bless your little heart. I can't wait to meet her and I hope you bring here to meet me real soon—will you do that?"

"Oh, yes ma'am!" Becky brightened up and was greatly relieved.

"Becky, Timbo..." Sookie looked pointedly and seriously at them, "never feel like you can't talk to us, about anything, do you hear me? I mean it."

"Yes ma'am," they said in unison.

"We're living in some dangerous times and I need to talk to you both about something real important. Jason, have you told them about...what happened to Suzanne and Emory?"

"Well, uh, no," he said uncomfortably.

"How about Ms. Hines?"

"Well, no...not yet."

"They all need to know, Jason, right away."

Timbo and Becky looked at each other in worried confusion.

"What is it, aunt Sookie? What do we need to know?" Timbo asked her.

"Look, I'm not gonna mince words or beat around the bush—there's some crazy humans here in Bon Temps killing supernaturals. They load up in trucks and drive by peoples homes and start blasting away as they drive by. So far they've known their targets—it's not random. Two shape-shifters were killed recently, friends of a close friend of mine. My other friend, a werewolf, has told me that he's advising his people to be on watch and to travel around the woods in their animal form. That kind of works for them because an idiot might just take them for a big dog; as you know shifters can turn into anything so they could escape trouble a lot easier if they have enough warning and just blend in by turning into something common wherever they are and get away. But if you two shifted into panthers you'd still both be big targets. So, from now on Jason, you drop them to school," she looked at him and then back to the two children, "and I'm picking you both up from school everyday. Period. No more walking home alone."

"Becky, does Hannah know what you are?" Jason asked her then.

"No, I haven't told her yet."

"Well, don't. Especially after what you've told us about her father. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"I know Donnie is cool, Timbo, but if you haven't told him already..."

"I haven't, Jason," Timbo reassured him.

"Alright, good. We can't be too careful. I'm sorry I hadn't told you two about this, but me and Sheriff Jones have had our hands full just beginning to notify the supernaturals we do know. I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright, honey," Sookie patted his knee lovingly with her free hand. "It all just started very recently—I know you probably just didn't want to scare the kids."

"Yeah, but you're right, Sook, they had to know and I shoulda told them right away. I'll talk to Ms. Hines first thing in the morning after I drop you both off."

"We'll be careful, we promise," said Becky to them both.

"Okay, good. It's getting late. You two come with me and help me get dinner started while you tell me about the rest of school. Jason, grab the baby carriers and set them up on the kitchen table for me please?"

"I got that, aunt Sookie," said Timbo as he jumped up to get them before they all headed to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Luna?"<p>

"Hi, Sam." Luna sounded harried and tired to him.

"Are you alright?"

"No, Sam, far from it. What do you want?"

"Don't be like that—we're still friends, aren't we?"

"What do you want, Sam? I'm real busy,"she said, her voice full of impatience.

"Well, alright—have you heard about Suzanne and..."

"Yes. Suzanne's sister, Angeline was next of kin—she called me right after she heard from Sheriff Jones. We'd all met her long before you joined the group. Real sweet girl—she's a wreck, right about now."

"Well, I can sure understand that. You got just a moment to at least tell me how you and Emma are?"

"You really want to know?"

"Of course I do," he said with a tinge of reprimand in his voice.

"Emma's transformed, Sam...she's Were. My ex mother-in-law has been breathing down my neck and pissing me off and coming around—the pack has been nuts since Marcus was killed and she sensed right away when Emma started to change. I don't want any of those people in my daughter's life."

"But that's her grandma..."

"You don't even know her, Sam—stay out of it. As a matter of fact, just stay out of my life altogether," she told him angrily.

"Luna..."

"I appreciate your concern and the call, but you've gone on with your life—let me go on with mine. You be careful out there, Sam. We'll do the same. Goodbye."

Sam stared into the phone, looking at the main menu screen in frustration. He hit Tommy's speed dial number and hoped that this time his brother would answer. With great relief he heard his brother's voice on the other end of the line.

"Tommy? Where've you been, man?"

"Uh, hey, Sam..." Tommy greeted him sheepishly. In the background Sam could hear a woman giggling.

"You with Jolene?"

"Uh...yeah..."

"Look Tommy, play time is over for tonight. I need to talk to you right away..."

"You are talking to me—what is it?" Tommy was growing irritated.

"I'm so fucking sick of everybody's Goddamned bad attitude!" Sam shouted into the phone. "There's some batshit crazy humans on the loose Tommy, hunting down supernaturals—two of my shifter friends are dead, executed in a drive-by as they sat on their own front porch minding their own fucking business. I've got clothes here for you—get your ass over to my trailer, yesterday—and fly, don't come in your human form—they know who we are," Sam told him solemnly.

"Fuck me. No, Jolene, quit it—I ain't talking to you...damn, woman, I said stop..." Sam could hear Tommy's angry muffled voice directed at her as he'd taken the phone away from his mouth and the sound of them scuffling in the sheets. "I'm on my way," he said when he came back to Sam and then hung up.

* * *

><p>Sookie had made a quick dinner of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans and had just seated herself at the table to join her family to eat when her cell phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID and answered immediately. "'Scuse me, y'all—go on and get started, I'll be right back..." she told them as she rose and left the kitchen.<p>

"Good evening, Sookie." She could hear his smile through the phone and it warmed her heart.

"Eric...is everything okay?"

"Everything will be fine when I see you. I'm at Ginger's—well, my house. Everyone is coming here in a couple of hours to meet, discuss matters at hand...but I need to see you before they get here. Are you free?"

"Well, I was just getting ready to have dinner—Jason and the kids are over..."

"No one needs to leave, I just need a private moment with you—there's something I want to ask you and I need your answer before I see everyone tonight."

"Wow," Sookie couldn't imagine what he needed but put her questions aside. "Well come on ov..." Before she could get the last word out he was standing before her.

"Come with me to your room..." he took her hand and led her up the stairs from the living room where she had taken his call. Once in her room he closed the door quietly behind them and then sat Sookie on the edge of her bed.

"Eric? What are you doing?"

He knelt before and kissed her tenderly then. Sookie felt very much aroused by him but knew that her brain and her body were not in concert with each other.

"Eric," she began awkwardly, "That felt really good, but I'm not ready to..."

"That's not what I brought you up here for," he smiled at her.

"Well, whatever you did bring me up here for, would you kindly tell me already? The suspense is killing me," she said in a slight swoon.

"Sookie Stackhouse, will you be my Consort?"

Sookie felt as if all the wind had been knocked out of her. If she hadn't been sitting down already she knew that she would have surely collapsed in a heap upon the floor.

"Eric, I...how? I thought a consort had to be..."

"A vampire?" he cut her off with a broad smile on his face. "No, not a prerequisite at all," he assured her.

"I can't even make love to you...I'm crazy! Do you know a psychologist is making a special visit from Shreveport to come see my crazy ass in the morning?" she informed him disgustedly.

"Good. You need time to heal. Come with me, Sookie...say yes. This would be perfect; living in Shreveport with me means you can see the doctor a lot easier, as many times a week as necessary—I'm assuming that you'd like more than one session a week—am I right?"

"Well, yes, but I can't just pick up and leave here, Eric. Jason needs me; I just promised Becky and Timbo that I would pick them up from school every day while these insane killers are on the loose..." she protested uncomfortably.

"Bring them with you...bring all of the children with you. They'd be safer with us, anyway—safer than here in Bon Temps. I'm sure it would be a relief to Jason while he works on this case to have you all out of harm's way."

"Eric, we all have a life here—family; friends—Becky and Timbo are just starting to get acclimated to life in the real world...they have to go to school..."

"I'll hire private tutors for them...just until we get this current problem under control, if that would make you happy."

"Eric, I can't just spirit Jason's children away from him..."

"That may be true, but it could surprise you how conducive he might be to the idea, especially because of what _is_ going on now. Let me talk to him..." Eric pleaded with her.

"Eric..." tears began to stream down her crumbling face.

"I need you, Sookie, to be with me full time—inasmuch as that is possible. You are a trusted member of my world; my confidante; my _liten krigare; _my friend. I trust you with my life. I've never been comfortable going to ground inside buildings; I have always favored sleeping in the earth, far from where humans expect me to be. As King of Louisiana I would need to be fully headquartered in my mansion. I would sleep much easier knowing that you were above me, attending to affairs in my stead when necessary. I would like your help and your counsel running this territory. I need you with me. In my house, at my side. I won't over-burden you—first and foremost I want you to get better. But you are my Queen, Sookie. I want you to be recognized as such," he told her softly.

"What if I never get better, Eric? You have a powerful libido—frankly, I don't know how you can go on this way," she told him honestly, unafraid to let her insecurities show.

"I can 'go on' this way with _you_ forever, Sookie Stackhouse, as long as you will let me," he said simply. "Please say yes. Everything else can be worked out..." he reached out a hand to caress her cheek before he took her lovely face into both of them and drew her closer to him for their lips to meet. "Please..." he whispered at her as he closed his eyes, "say yes..." he murmured before his lips descended upon hers.

* * *

><p>"Hello, children."<p>

As was their usual custom Sarah and Trey rose for the evening and met each other in the kitchen; they retrieved dinner from the refrigerator and warmed their Tru Bloods in the microwave before they settled themselves on the living room balcony to take in the beautiful evening sky and talk quietly of their dreams, desires and fears. They hadn't been seated long when they heard her soft familiar voice come from behind them at the sliding door.

"Sabeen!" Sarah jumped up and ran in from the balcony to her waiting arms, followed closely by her brother. Sabeen received them both and enveloped her charges in a strong embrace.

"It is good to be missed," she smiled at them both warmly.

"So, how not over is this shit?" asked Trey then as she released them, his voice full of unabashed irritation.

"Trey!" Sarah's tone was scolding but full of love.

"No, Sarah, I love his honesty. Trey, to answer you just as honestly—it may never be over."

"Fuck! No disrespect, yo, but damn...I'm glad to have you back, Sabeen—trust. I don't know if vampires are supposed to pray to God or not, but I did, the whole time you were away for just this moment to happen; for that motherfucker to die; for you to come back to us safely. I thought you said we were going with you—are we going trade in being salted away in hiding places here in America for new hiding places in Europe? I'm tired of hiding; I'm tired of feeling useless and weak. If it means more fighting then let me fight along with you," he said angrily.

"Trey! That's enough," Sarah hissed at him, afraid that he would incur Sabeen's full wrath.

"Sarah, I can handle this," Sabeen told her sweetly. "I cannot be angry with you, Trey. You and Sarah have been handed a very raw deal and I more than understand your upset. And it doesn't surprise me that you feel that way, which makes me even prouder of you. You are not coming with me to be salted away in more hiding places—you're both coming with me to get the proper education you both deserve. And fighting is exactly what you're both going to learn to do. You'll be training with my very good comrades from Belarus—Minsk, to be exact—whom you will meet tonight," she said to the two stunned fledglings.

"After your training you will both assist me in tracking down Benjamin Pope, Octavian's protege. And we _will_ vanquish him. After that Sarah..." she settled her gaze squarely on the excited woman, "after we dispense with Pope I should like to suggest you to the Authority as Nan's replacement. Your work as a consultant with the Fellowship of the Sun makes you an excellent candidate for being the spokesperson for the AVL—your television experience, leadership abilities and your still-bubbly humanity would be a perfect fit for what's required of the position now. Successful completion of your first mission would be a wonderful addition to your resume—what do you think?"

Sarah was speechless.

"She thinks she's more than ready to make you proud of her, Sabeen," Trey spoke up for her.

"I'm proud of you both already, Trey. Now, there's someone I'd like you to meet—he's one of many who helped me to get back safely to you both."

Antanas walked onto the balcony to join them.

"This is my significant other, children...Antanas Valinsky. Antanas, these are Nan Flanagan's extraordinary progeny: Sarah Newlin and Trey Marcellus Horne."

"Hello, Mr. Valinsky," said Trey as he held out his hand. Antanas took it and shook it appreciatively.

"Hello, Mr. Valinsky," said Sarah, who had finally managed to find her voice.

"Antanas, please. Very pleased to meet you, young ones...I have heard only wonderful things about you both," said the regal man standing at Sabeen's side. "Come now, _mano mylimasis_ is ready to spirit you away from here and to the beginning of the rest of your promising eternity. To Shreveport first, young ones, to rejoin our other comrades and for you to meet the new King of Louisiana."


	95. CQD

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 95 CQD

"Ruby Jean! Ruby Jean!"

Lettie Mae knocked on the screen door one last time. "I can't believe she called me out here and she ain't even home..." she muttered to herself disgustedly. Just then Buster came tearing around the corner from the back of the house and jumped up to greet her.

"Hey, Buster, you sweet little thing...where's Ruby Jean, huh? Where's Ruby Jean?" she cooed at him.

"Here I am...hey, sister..." she said when saw her, out of breath and slightly annoyed. "I was chasin' Buster down out back—he likes to scamper off into the woods...bad boy!" she scolded him when she got to him and scooped him up. "Come on in..."

"Why you call me out here so late? What's going on?"

Just then Lafayette drove up in his truck with Jesus sitting beside him grinning widely.

"Ruby Jean? You feel Tara? You been feeling Tara?" Lettie Mae asked excitedly.

"No, honey, but she called LaLa about an hour ago and asked us all to meet here—she and Bill should be here any minute."

"Oh my God, my baby?"

Lafayette and Jesus got out of the truck and rushed to greet the women.

"Hey, Ruby Jean...hey, Mrs. Daniels..." Jesus gave both women a hug and kiss to the cheek.

"Hey, mama...Auntie...hey, Buster..." Lafayette greeted his mother and aunt with kisses and hugs and took Buster, who was clamoring frantically to get to him.

"Hi, everybody."

They all turned to see Tara and Bill standing in the driveway.

* * *

><p>"Eric, you know that I love you...with all of my heart..."<p>

"I hear a 'but' looming on those precious lips..." he said as he drew slightly away from her.

"I want to be with you...I would be honored to be your Consort—could you possibly wait for me? Just until all this mess with the vigilante's—or whatever the hell these crazy killers are—is over? I know it probably doesn't make much sense to you..."

"Stop, Sookie. I understand completely, I do..." he said softly and then gave her a tender kiss. "The last thing I want you to feel from me right now is pressure. And of course I'll wait—I'm relieved to know that the answer is yes, under any condition and it only gives me extra incentive to stop these bastards sooner than I already want to. But my offer still stands, do you understand?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good. I must go now and prepare to receive my guests. Everyone leaving for Europe is departing at dawn. I know that Tara and Bill planned to see her family—I'm certain that she plans to see you at some point, as well, before they leave. I expect my business to be concluded by midnight or so...I'll excuse myself then so that I can come back and be with you and then leave in time to see them off and go to ground—alright?"

"That sounds great. You all have a good meeting and give my warmest regards to everyone, okay?"

"I will." Eric rose and stood her up with him. "I'll see you soon, my Sookie," he said before he gave her a sweet kiss.

"Soon," she said when their lips parted. And then he was gone.

Sookie rushed back downstairs to the kitchen and took her seat at the table full of questioning eyes.

"Everything alright, Sook?" Jason asked her worriedly. Sookie smiled sweetly at him and held out her plate.

"As alright as they can be, considering, honey. Pass me a pork chop, please?"

* * *

><p>They were all settled on Lafayette's porch, talking and laughing and having a wonderful time. Tara sat between her mother and Bill, holding her mother's hand.<p>

"He is just the cutest little thing," she said of Buster, who seemed to understand her compliment as he came to her and jumped up into her lap to lick her face. "And he's a flirt, too," she gave him a little hug as everyone chuckled.

"Tara, baby, I hate to be the one to bring the conversation down, but I know you two have to leave soon..." began Ruby Jean delicately. "I don't feel you the way that I used to—do you still feel any of your..."

"No, auntie," she cut her off softly. "That's all a done deal, now. I think it's for the best, though."

Ruby Jean nodded her agreement at her.

"So, where y'all gonna live? You gonna get a house and set up or what?" asked Lafayette as he fanned himself. "I mean, where we comin' when we invade yo ass in Europe, hookah?"

Everyone laughed.

"We have not really had any time to think about that," Bill answered him in earnest as he looked at Tara.

"I tell you what...as soon as we know, you'll know—hear?" she reassured them all. Her tone turned serious. "Look, I know Eric, Sheriff Jones, Andy and Jason are gonna try and get this shit nipped in the bud as soon as possible...but I want you all to promise me that you'll be careful—we probably shouldn't even be sittin' out here like this..."

"It's my solemn vow to you both, meija, that I will look after our family," Jesus told her as he reached out to take her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Ditto here, hookah..." said Lafayette as he placed his hand on top of theirs. "You two be fuckin' careful, yourselves—we'll hold it down here."

Lettie Mae and Ruby Jean were in silent tears.

"Those better be happy tears, mama..." Tara cautioned her mother.

"They are, baby..." Lettie Mae lied.

Tara looked at the two crying sisters and smiled lovingly at them. "Look at all we've been through—we got through it all and made the time to see you and always will. I know things are pretty bleak right now, but me and Bill and many, many others are working to change that. It's gonna be an uphill battle, but I promise we're gonna change things for the better—it just can't always be like this—right, aunt Ruby Jean?"

"Truer words were never spoken, baby. We'll be fine...we just miss you, that's all."

"I know...I miss you, too. We gotta get goin' now, but we're gonna do this again real soon, either here or overseas, yeah?" Tara looked around the table at them all.

"Yes," they all confirmed resolutely in unison. They all rose to say goodbye.

"Alright, big-ass group hug, right now," Tara ordered as she smiled at them all brightly. "Come on..." she held her arms open wide to receive them all. "Okay, y'all get inside—we'll call as soon as we get situated after we land." Everyone called out their goodbyes.

"Alright, baby...have a safe trip," her mother called after the two of them before they disappeared.

"Come on, people—Jesus, put that down...I'll get it in the morning," he told his lover, who was about to clear the table. "Lettie Mae, where is you tryin' to go, woman? You's spendin' the night, ain't you?" he asked her as she fished her car keys out of her purse.

"Well, Reverend Daniels..."

"Pardon my French, but _fuck_ Rev'n Daniels right about now, sweetness. It's gettin' late and it's dangerous on the streets—or ain't he fuckin' heard? You's spendin' the night—get on in there..."

Ruby Jean smiled proudly at her son as she followed her sister and Jesus into the house.

* * *

><p>"Well, Sook, I'm gonna get everyone on in, it is a school night. Thanks so much for dinner."<p>

"Thank you, aunt Sookie," said Becky.

"Everything was delicious—thank you for everything, aunt Sookie," said Timbo. Sookie knew that he was talking about more than just dinner.

"Come here, you two..." she held her arms open to them and hugged them both tightly. "I love you both, so much...now you get on home safe and call me as soon as you get in the door, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," said Timbo.

"Sook, you sure you're gonna be alright here alone?" Jason asked her then.

"I'll be just fine. Claudette is around somewhere—I think she really needed some time alone. I haven't intruded on her thoughts but I'm sure she'll stay with me a while. Tara and Bill are coming by at some point before they leave and Eric will be here with me later. I'm alright, really. Thank you so much for everything...I love you like crazy, big brother," she pulled him into her embrace and kissed him on the cheek. "Come on, let's get everybody to the car," she said as she picked up Corbett in his carrier and Jason picked up Michelle. Sookie gave all of the kids their last kisses as she helped buckle them in to Jason's van and then waved goodbye as they took off. She went promptly back into the house and locked up behind herself.

* * *

><p>"I'd like to welcome you all to my humble abode. Please come in..." said Eric to the large group of vampires who had shown up at his door promptly at nine o'clock as requested. Ginger and Mrs. Mirren received the guests with him and ushered Nora, Chow, Kirsch, Duprez, Blackburn, Cromwell, Jessica, Bill, Tara, Shashen'Ka, Victor, Sabeen, Antanas, Sarah and Trey to the great room.<p>

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Mrs. Mirren addressed them all, "My name is Mrs. Mirren and it is my pleasure to serve you. There are donors and Tru Blood available for anyone who wishes for refreshment before the meeting starts—may I get any of you anything right now?" All of the vampires politely declined with silent nods of their heads. "Very well. When you wish to avail yourselves please feel free to let me know at your convenience." She gave them all a smile and an officious nod and left the room. As she passed Trey he gave her a friendly wink and a warm smile as he remembered her kind ministrations from his visit before. Mrs. Mirren blushed and mouthed, "_Good to see you, again, Trey_," as she went by.

"Let's get down to business, shall we?" said Eric to them all as he stood at the front of the room. "Nora, what is the status of the Authority—have they secured new headquarters?"

"Yes, it took some doing but they've acquired two completely new locations that Benjamin Pope knows absolutely nothing about."

"Two?"

"Yes, our actual headquarters and a location that will house the studio and permanent set for future town hall meetings and any other official addresses to the public—for security purposes they absolutely cannot be housed together."

"Yes, of course. Do we have any sort of numbers yet? Any indication of the general response to the town hall meeting?"

"Well, we can't get Nielsen's, or anything like that, but we had over two hundred thousand hits to the AVL website that night, more than we've garnered in the three year period that the site has been up and running...and bear in mind that the site typically averages just under five hundred hits a month, the highest percentage of which come from curious humans. Over seventy-five percent of the feedback that night was from disgruntled vampires."

"Wonderful," Eric said disgustedly.

"Yes, my Liege—wonderful. They were the target audience, don't you understand? And we've gotten their attention; the dialogue has been kick-started...re-energized. By all accounts the town hall meeting was a success. We're headed back in the right direction," she reported triumphantly to them all.

"Well then, while we've got an audience let's milk the site for all it's worth—Sam Merlotte has been working unofficially with Sheriff Jones and Andy Bellefleur in Bon Temps—I want a security team posted at his restaurant twenty-four/seven and I want a PSA with that information included on the site..."

Nora looked at him with great confusion on her face. "I don't understand...I don't think Sam would appreciate his business being linked to the site that way, not to mention the loss in revenue he could suffer from his business being associated as being so dangerous to patronize that it warrants twenty-four hour protective guard."

"Hear me out, Nora: first and foremost Sam is a friend of the Authority—his protection is warranted; secondly, he's the Man of the Hour in Bon Temps right now—he and Andy Bellefleur are making some progress in their investigation and such a security detail is justifiable; thirdly, his restaurant is a popular gathering place for humans and supernaturals, alike—the other supernaturals blame us for this tragic turn of events—the Authority steps up to the plate and shows that _everyone's _safety is paramount and sets up security to prove it. We put our money where our mouth is and take the first proactive step in the form of a viable, tangible solution—it's a beginning, anyway," he reasons with them all. "We'll do the same at vampire bars all over Louisiana—offer them up as alternative safe havens to all supernaturals, not just us and 'fangbangers'. We're going to do all that we can to apprehend these heinous offenders, broker the peace between all species and do some damage control to our image at the same time. That's the goal, anyway. Comments? Questions? Better ideas? I'm more than open."

"My Liege, I think that your plan is an excellent one," Sabeen stepped up to him. "We all know that utopia is not on the menu where humans and supernaturals are concerned, but tolerance—and more than that, acceptance—must be the order of the day. I truly believe your plan will help us achieve that. You know that you can count on me to assist you in any way that you see fit," she bowed graciously before him.

"Thank you, Sabeen, your support means everything to me," Eric said quietly.

Every vampire in the room was moved by their exchange.

"What do you require of us, my Liege?" said Kirsch as she stepped up to him.

"I need you, Duprez and Blackburn to know that your work over these past months has been more than appreciated. I don't have word from the Authority on the appointment of any other monarchs at this time, but as you know Chow has replaced me as Sheriff of Area 5. You've all done excellent work sharing the duties of overseeing Area 9—Blackburn, you've taken the lion's share of that one and I want you to know that the Authority will have an official replacement for Isabel within the week."

"Thank you, my Liege," Blackburn nodded officiously at him.

"Duprez, you are hereby returned to the sole duty of running Area 1."

"Thank you, my Liege," Duprez said with a bow and a smile of relief.

"I'd like to introduce you all to the new Sheriff of Area 4—please welcome Julian Cromwell to the ranks."

Robust congratulations erupted throughout the room directed at Julian, who had accepted the position during a private moment between him and Eric before they had left Ashland.

"Alright. Nora...Ginger...Chow...I'd like the three of you to talk to Sam Merlotte tomorrow night regarding my suggestion—I have a meeting with Chancellor Manners at sundown; afterward I'll meet you all to discuss that and also how we can help with his and Sheriff Jones' investigation."

The three of them nodded their confirmation at him.

"The final order of business tonight before we relax a bit and prepare to go our separate ways is to welcome two new vampires to our fold: Sarah Newlin and Trey Horne," Eric said as he directed everyone's attention to the overwhelmed fledglings who stood together taking in everything with quiet reverence. "Sarah...Trey...I offer you both my most sincere condolences on the loss of your Maker, Nan Flanagan. I know that she was as privileged to call you both her progeny as you were to have her as your Maker. She has left you a great legacy that I know you will both more than live up to. She has also left you something even more valuable—the trusted friendship of every vampire in this room."

Sarah broke into tears as Trey took her hand, both of them too overcome to speak. Sabeen and Antanas approached then and put their supportive arms about them.

"Now, everyone—I'm sure some appetites have returned at this point—let's eat, shall we? Mrs. Mirren..." he called to her as she re-entered the room.

"Anyone who desires a donor may follow me," she smiled at them all. Surprisingly, all of the vampires declined. "Very good. In honor of your return home we have prepared fresh Boiled Blood Pudding and Blood Sorbet—please help yourselves and enjoy," she smiled at them all as more servants came into the room with desert carts bearing the treats in a dazzling array of ruby-red cut crystal Baccarat goblets.

"Oh, yes! I love these!" Tara squealed delightfully as she chose a goblet of sorbet. She walked over to Sarah and Trey. "Hi, Sarah—it's good to see you again. I understand that you and your brother are coming to Minsk with us," she smiled at them both.

"Hello, Tara. I just want to tell how sorry I am about..."

"Girlfriend, this is a brand new night—you're one of us now. Trey, nice to see you again."

"Hey, Tara, same here," Trey smiled back at her.

"You guys are gonna love Minsk and you're especially gonna to love this woman, right here..." she said as Shashen'Ka walked over and joined them. "You're about to learn from a master..."

In another corner of the room Eric, Bill, Victor, Julian, Duprez and Chow stood talking together.

"Congratulations, again, Julian—I can't think of anyone more deserving," Bill said sincerely.

"Thank you, Bill. Working alongside all of you these past months has made just sitting around the house more than unbearably boring," he chuckled.

"Well, we're damn glad to have you, Julian," said Duprez then. "Not just because of the work load, either; it feels like we're getting back on track, to the way things used to be—there's just been so much upheaval..."

"That's an understatement, but I'm with you one hundred percent," Chow agreed.

"Slowly but surely, comrades," Victor assured them, "better days are coming. The demise of Octavian Valerius is sending necessary shock waves throughout Europe. Andrej has been absolutely giddy with excitement in our conversations of late—the tide is definitely turning in our favor. He's had some intel on Benjamin Pope—the little worm doesn't stand a chance against us, now..." he said with a gleam in his eyes and the hint of a smile on his ever-serious face.

"Well, I can't believe you turned down a donor..." Blackburn said to Jessica with a knowing smirk as they sat across from Nora, Ginger and Kirsch in the seating area in front of the hearth.

"I can't either..." she said as Ginger, Kirsch and Nora chuckled along with her. "It was cool of you guys to have these for us, though," she said after she ate the last spoonful of her pudding. "I've been a good girl—I haven't had a fresh kill since...since when, honey?" she asked of Blackburn.

"The night of the trial, wasn't it? Or maybe it was a couple of weeks after that?"

"No you did not go out the night of the trial and hunt—did you?" asked Ginger in scandalized shock.

"Well, we were careful—it was a special night for us," Jessica tried to defend herself. "I said I've been good..."

"Well, that's the main thing. I mean, Tru Blood really is abominable, but..." Kirsch threw up her hands and shrugged at them all as she screwed up her face.

"Hopefully, someday they really will be able to do something about the taste of it—they've _got_ to do something about the taste of it..." said Ginger conspiratorially under her breath.

"I didn't hear that..." said Nora, looking around the room and away from them as if they were invisible and she was oblivious. They all laughed.

The vampires continued to mix and mingle and Eric determined that he'd give himself another thirty minutes with them before he excused himself. Suddenly he felt Sookie, as her angst and distress washed over his whole soul. Across the room, Bill stopped mid-sentence in his conversation with Antanas and Sabeen as he felt the same ominous sensation. They looked at each other for a split second and then Eric disappeared.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked at each other in confusion.

"Bill? What's wrong?" Tara asked him.

"Sookie—she is in trouble..."

"Well, why are you just standing there? Let's go!" she told him frantically.

"No, Tara," he began delicately, "it is not my place..." he looked at her sorrowfully.

"She's my best friend—you can stay here if you want to—I'm going. Excuse me, everybody..." she said to the others in the room and then disappeared, as well.


	96. Inside

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 96 Inside

After Sookie locked the door behind her she went to the kitchen and cleaned up the dinner dishes. When she was done with that task she retired to her living room sofa where she stretched out and tried to clear her mind of all of the things that were worrying her and concentrated instead on positive things, like seeing her best friend's smiling face again. She couldn't wait to hear about Tara's visit to her mother and it brought a smile to her own face to know that she and Lettie Mae were finally enjoying a real mother/daughter relationship; she couldn't wait to see Eric and hear about his meeting; she was looking forward to the morning and her meeting with Dr. Laborde, anxious to resume her path to healing. Those were the happy thoughts she allowed herself to indulge in before she drifted off to sleep.

Sometime later, Sookie was awakened by the violent sound of her front door bursting open and sprang up from the sofa in alarm. She looked to see Debbie Pelt standing there, her face full of rage, a shotgun in her hands and aimed at her.

"You know, I am so sick of you," Sookie began with real venom in her voice.

"Not half as much as I am of you, cunt. I can smell Alcide all over you."

"The last time you tried this it didn't work out too well for you—I promise that it won't this time, either—don't push me, Debbie..." she warned her.

"Or what? You've already done the worst you can do to me, bitch—you took Alcide away from me—it's time for me to put you out of my misery once and for all."

"And that's about right, ain't it? You're so pathetic..." Sookie said as she rose from the couch slowly.

"You want to taste lead, just keep walking, bitch," Debbie said through gritted teeth as she cocked her twelve gauge.

"We've had this conversation before and quite frankly, I'm sick of having it, I really am. You shit all over Alcide long before I met either one of you; first with fucking Cooter, then with Marcus, so how you can stand there and blame me for the crimes of your wayward cunt is totally beyond me," Sookie said as she continued to advance upon her.

"I said stop..."

"No, you said 'keep walking, bitch'—so pull the fucking trigger already..." Sookie challenged her, totally unfazed by the rifle aimed at her face. Deep within her the hate she had been trying so hard to keep at bay was rising up and looking for release; in a rush of unwelcomed memories every person who had ever bared a fang at her, beat her senseless, bound her, dug their claws into her, shot her, drugged her, leveled hateful thoughts and verbal threats at her, attacked her family—raped her—came flooding into her mind. Sookie's lips formed into a crooked, malicious smile as she thought about how wonderful it would be to aim her hand at the stupid girl's head and let her power rip. Debbie made to pull the trigger and was surprised by a beam of light that shot from Sookie's hand that sent the weapon sailing out of her grasp and her crashing down to the floor on her ass.

"You fucking freak!" Debbie backpedaled away from her, her eyes ablaze and glowing golden fury at her rival.

"So, what are you waiting for? Turn already—come on, girl, come and get it..." Sookie mocked her, speaking to her as one would trying to get a pet to perform a trick. "ALCIDE LOVES YOU, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Sookie roared at her.

"He abjured me! FOR YOU!"

"I don't even know what that means!"

"Oh, he was too busy enjoying being a free man and making out with you to tell you huh? It's like divorce, bitch—Werewolf style."

"No, he didn't tell me that, only that you weren't a part of his life anymore. But I never believed him. If he could get back with you after Cooter? He's crazy in love with you and you're too stupid to see it...running around with your hair dyed blonde? Really? He doesn't want me—he's never wanted me, Debbie—you gave him good reason to think that he might, but deep down he'll never be able to get over you. We're just friends and we'll never be anything more—don't want to be anything more. Maybe if you'd ever tried just doing you he'd still be doing you, as well."

"How dare you!"

"How dare you! Unappreciative...you had a good man, Debbie; selfish and dissatisfied—maybe if you'd taken the time to be a real woman Alcide would have wanted to start a family with you, but no—your ass was running around addicted to V and fucking not one, but two other wolves—that we know about, anyway," Sookie said to her contemptuously.

Debbie was still on the floor on her haunches, beyond words, snarling at Sookie and on the verge of turning at any moment.

"Don't put your shit on me, Debbie! Get out of my house before I kill you—because I would really enjoy killing you right about now."

"I don't give a fuck about your magic fingers, bitch..._you're_ dying tonight, not me..." Debbie transformed and lunged for Sookie's jugular. As the beautiful white wolf sailed through the air at her Sookie raised her hand...

"Sookie! No!" It was Claudette who had materialized into the room behind her. _"You don't have to kill her...Sookie..."_

"_But I want to..."_

Sookie gave herself over to the hate and the powerful drumbeat of her heart, that was sending the pounding rush of blood coursing through every vein in her body like an order; she sent a concentrated burst of light to Debbie's head, pulverizing it. Debbie's headless human body crashed to the floor as fragments of her skull, mixed with brains and blood, rained down upon her.

"Sookie!" Claudette rushed to her, tears streaming down her face, but before she could get to her found that Eric had appeared and was already holding her in his arms. Seconds later Tara and Bill appeared.

"Get off of me! All of you—get away from me!" Sookie pushed Eric and he allowed himself to be moved away from her.

"Sookie? Honey, come on, it's over now..." Tara said soothingly as she approached her.

"I said get away! He's going to hate me...I didn't have to kill her, I didn't...but I wanted to..." Sookie berated herself in agony.

"She deserved it, Sook—she came here to kill you, did she not? It was self-defense." Tara tried to reason with her.

"No, she didn't deserve it...Alcide is going to hate me...I can't take this shit anymore," she said to herself frantically.

"Sookie, my love..." Eric said softly as he reached for her.

"NO! My life is full of nothing but blood and dead bodies...danger and death...trouble. My gran is dead because of me..." she spoke softly as she looked at them all, "he came for me but I wasn't here and he killed her, instead. If it wasn't for me, Bill, you never would have come; I never would have met you, Eric, or Alcide; would never have known anything about Russell Edgington..." she said as if in a daze.

"Sookie—this is not 'It's A Wonderful fuckin' Life'—we are _not_ gonna play that particular game right now..." Tara said threateningly. "Snap the fuck out of this..." Beside her Bill silently shook his head at her for being too harsh.

"Don't y'all see? Everything here in Bon Temps that's horrible and bad—it's all my fault...I gotta go, that's the only way..."

Bill's dead heart was breaking as he listened to her. "Sookie, you have just been through so much—you cannot possibly lay blame on yourself for..."

"Yes, I can," she assured him with a sweet smile.

"Sookie, come on now...come with us and get some..."

"Don't tell me I need to get some rest, Bill Compton," she cut him off, "there's not enough rest in the world to help wash all of the blood off my hands."

"Sookie, the doctor will be here in the morning—he'll help you to see that you are wrong about that. Until then come away from here—let us take care of you..." Eric said soothingly.

"Don't talk to me like I'm crazy. And I'm not going anywhere with any of you. I appreciate the offer..." she smiled at them all. She looked at Eric and let her gaze linger a long while, her eyes full of love. He reached out his hand to her and she continued to smile even as she shook her head at him. He looked a question at her and then understood. Never had there been anything in his existence that he regretted more then, than deeding her house back to her.

"Sookie, no..." he begged her then.

"I rescind my invitation to every vampire in this house to ever come here again," she told them all, still smiling that sweet but now vapid smile.

Bill and Tara looked at each other in horror as they were propelled out of the house, Eric along with them. They all stood outside dumbfounded.

"What the fuck?" asked Tara of the other two vampires.

"She has quite literally lost her mind, can it be any clearer?" Bill answered her.

"She blames herself for everything. Fucking Alcide...that bitch of his should have been put down in Mississippi... " Eric turned to Bill angrily.

"What? Do not stand here and tell me that you blame me for this. If I recall correctly..." Bill began hotly.

"Hey! Both of you! Shut the fuck up with that shit—it doesn't help anything now," Tara snapped at them both. Just then Claudette came out through the front door.

"Claudette," Tara rushed her, "how is she? What's going on?"

"She's gone completely inside of herself...I can't reach her. She's lying on the couch staring into space—she's just gone." Claudette began to cry.

"We should call for Dr. Ludwig..." Eric suggested in desperation.

"What good can she do?" Bill asked him irritatedly.

"You have any better ideas?" he hissed at him.

"Look, it can't hurt—both of you just calm the fuck down, shit..." Tara said disgustedly as she whipped out her phone. After she hung up with Dr. Ludwig her phone rang.

"Tara..."

"Aunt Ruby Jean? What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Maybe I can help—I felt her, honey, just passing through in my mind—I can have LaLa bring me..."

"Well, sure...I don't see why not—we need all the help we can get."

* * *

><p>When Dr. Ludwig arrived Lafayette was right behind her. After he'd parked his truck he went to open the door for his mother and when the two women saw each Bill and Eric saw Dr. Ludwig do something they had never witnessed in their long association with her: they saw her smile at Ruby Jean Reynolds.<p>

"Ruby Jean, good morning."

"Hello, Patricia, good to see you—wish it was under better circumstances." The two women hugged. When they released each other Dr. Ludwig went to Eric as Tara quietly introduced Claudette to Ruby Jean and Lafayette.

"Well, what have you fucked up, now?" she said in the gruff tone he was more familiar with.

"The fairy hybrid—Sookie Stackhouse—she seems to have had some sort of mental breakdown," Eric said uneasily.

"Dealing with you? The first of many more to come, I'm sure," she said snarkily.

Eric snarled at her.

"Don't fuck with me, Northman," she warned him. "Well, what are you all standing out here for? Let's go in..."

"We cannot go in—she rescinded her invitation to us," he informed her.

"What about you, fairy?" she turned to Claudette.

"It has nothing to do with the vampires, actually, doctor."

"I seriously doubt that," Dr. Ludwig said sarcastically.

"An attempt was made on the girl's life tonight and she killed someone defending herself. I can take you in to see her."

"Well, let's go," Dr. Ludwig said as she headed for the front door.

Twenty minutes later Dr. Ludwig returned to the anxious party assembled on the lawn.

"I understand a psychologist is supposed to meet with her today...what she needs is a proper shrink and a reservation for a nice, white rubber padded room," she told then unceremoniously.

"What?" Tara asked her incredulously.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder they call it these days—the girl is fucking shell-shocked...textbook case. If that thing on her living room floor is any indication of how she spends her leisure time then it's no wonder."

"Patricia, I'd like to go in and see her," said Ruby Jean. "Is that okay?"

Dr. Ludwig softened as she looked at her friend. "Sure, honey—go give it a try."

* * *

><p>"Sookie? Sookie, it's Ruby Jean," she said softly as she sat in a chair beside Sookie and stroked her hand. "I know you hear me, baby girl; I felt you come by on your way here. There's a lot of scared people on the other side who love you, honey, and they don't understand, but we both know that's not your problem.<p>

"You're here for a reason, baby. You need to rejuvenate, that's all. It's gonna take the time that it takes. But you ain't supposed to stay, no matter what you think you're being told. You have to come back, that's just all there is to that. And if you get the urge to talk you know that I'm here. I'm going to stay here and see about you and I'll have Jesus help me. I don't know what the doctor is going to say when he gets here, but we're going to make it clear that you must be seen to here, so don't you worry about that. You've made it impossible for Eric and Tara to see you, but I understand, baby. I'll make them understand. I'm going to have LaLa help me get you up to bed. I already packed a bag and I'm not going away anytime soon. Find your peace, baby. You call me if you need me, just like you did before." Ruby Jean gave her a kiss to her forehead and then went to the door and stepped out where the others were waiting on the porch. She spoke in a hushed tone.

"LaLa, get my bag out of the car then help me get her upstairs—the rest of you go on—I'm staying with her. I'll talk to Jason at dawn, before he heads to work. Get somebody over here to get this poor dead soul off the floor and seen to properly and to clean it all up. LaLa, when you get a chance bring Buster here."

"Auntie, what can we do?" asked Tara tormentedly.

"Go on with your life—you have things to take care of—I'll see to Sookie. And you'll get my reports." Ruby Jean went to Eric. "She's gonna come back from this. I'm sorry she banished you, but you come here anytime you want to and see me, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am, thank you," he said as Ruby Jean hugged him.

"Alright—dawn is approaching, y'all get. Patricia, thank you so much for coming."

"Of course, honey. Keep me posted, too."

"I will."

"It's you and me, Claudette. Come on baby..." she said after they watched the vampires leave reluctantly, "let's go see to our girl."


	97. It Takes A Village

I own nothing.

True Blood S4

Chapter 97 It Takes A Village

Jason had just hurriedly finished telling Maxine Fortenberry about the recent attacks on supernaturals when his house phone rang. Becky answered it.

"Jason, this is horrible. Do you think Hoyt knows?" Maxine asked him worriedly.

"Well, I don't know Maxine, Sheriff Jones has been working awful hard not to panic everybody in town..."

"He never tells me anything, anymore. Now that I've got my own place I barely even see him. But don't you worry, honey, I'll protect these babies with my life," she assured him.

"Well, I hope it don't come to nothin' at all like that, but thank you sweetheart," Jason gave her a smile full of love. "You just stay in here and keep these doors locked tight, and..."

"Jason, it's for you—Miss Ruby Jean..." Becky interrupted him as she held out the phone to him.

"Hello? Miss Ruby Jean?"

"Jason, after you take the kids to school I need you to come by Sookie's house, honey," she said in her calm, soothing voice.

"Uh, is everything okay?"

"You'll understand better when you get here...right now I need you to get your children to school and then get here as soon as possible."

"Miss Ruby Jean, you got to tell me more than that—is Sookie alright?"

"No, honey. She's not hurt physically, but she had a run-in with Debbie Pelt last night. Debbie is dead."

"Jesus!"

"Please calmly get the kids off to school and then get here right away."

"I will."

"And don't forget to talk to Ms. Hines..." she reminded him gently.

"How did you...did Sookie tell you to tell me that?"

"In a way," Ruby Jean told him delicately. It had actually been Claudette who seized the information from the remnants of Sookie's thoughts, which were like wispy broken cobwebs threatening to blow away forever with the next hint of a breeze.

"Well, can she come to the phone?"

"No, honey. Please get goin'?"

"Alright, alright...I'll be there soon." Jason hung up feeling completely confused. Maxine saw the worried look on his face and went to him.

"Jason? What is it?"

"I don't rightly know yet, but I don't have a good feeling at all. I gotta go to Sookie's after I drop off the kids...I'll call you as soon as I know something."

"Alright, honey," Maxine gave him a motherly hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sure if it was something really bad Mrs. Reynolds would have told you right off. Just drive safe and call me when you can."

Timbo and Becky had been watching with worried, curious, eyes as they waited by the door with their book bags.

"Come on, guys..." Jason said absently as he headed out the door and to his van.

* * *

><p>When Eric, Tara and Bill returned to Shreveport the other vampires were all still in the great room, talking quietly amongst themselves. As soon as Ginger sensed him she went to Eric.<p>

"What is it?" she asked him as she escorted them to the others.

"Sookie—a werewolf tried to kill her last night..."

All of the other vampires in the room rose up from their seats in alarm, save for Sarah and Trey, who both took note of the evident concern they all had for Sookie.

"Who?" asked Nora angrily.

"Is she alright?" asked Jessica.

"Where is she now?" asked Julian with a frown on his face as he approached. "Are others coming for her? Does she have protection?"

"Everyone, please...calm down," Eric began quietly, "it was Debbie Pelt—Sookie killed her. But she has suffered some...mental harm. It seems the attack and the events of the last few weeks and months have taken a toll on her..."

Julian gave him a knowing look as he thought back to New Orleans and reached out to his friend by placing a hand to his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Eric," he said after he took his hand away.

Eric nodded his thanks at him.

"A human doctor is coming for her today and she has very good friends to see about her in the meantime. Right now I know that there are some of you who have a plane to catch..."

Sabeen went to him then. "When you have good news for us I know that you will call us. There will be good news, comrade. When you get it, please give her my love." Sabeen kissed his cheek and then left.

Antanas followed with bow and a pat to Eric's shoulder before he took his leave. Next, Shashen'Ka and Victor nodded their good will and silent goodbye's followed by Sarah and Trey, who both knelt before him.

"I still pray, my Liege—I'll be praying for Sookie," Trey told him after he rose up. Sarah had a mighty urge to hug Eric but dared not.

"Thank you, Trey...Sarah," he said simply.

Bill and Tara approached him then.

"We'll be waiting to hear from you, Eric. Take care of yourself," said Bill.

Tara did easily what Sarah had dared not to and brought him into a strong, compassionate embrace.

"Alright, Viking...you remember what my aunt told you—any time you have a moment..."

"Yes, I promise to make a complete nuisance of myself," he smiled down at her.

"I'm countin' on it. I don't have to tell you to stay strong," she said when she released him.

"No, you do not."

"Yeah, well, I'm tellin' you anyway—stay strong."

"You do the same."

Tara nodded at him. She joined Bill then; they had last words with Jessica at the door and then were gone.

"I'll escort them to the airfield," Chow told him.

"Thank you, Chow."

Kirsch, Duprez, Blackburn and Jessica retired to ground then. Ginger, Nora and Julian remained up with him for a while as he explained in more detail what had happened.

"Ginger, have a team of guards go to Sookie's house and make sure that the wolf's body has been cleared away and the room thoroughly cleaned. Then please place a call to my lawyer and have him make the necessary arrangements to fund Sookie's needs—the doctor...whatever care she needs."

"Right away, Eric..." she said as she left him.

"She's going to come out of this, brother—she will triumph. She must," Nora said as she hugged him tightly. "She may have banned you, but Jessica and I will go to see about her, as well—understood?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Now, you must go to ground..." she urged him.

"I have other arrangements to attend to..." he protested.

"My friend—you've done all that you can do for one morning...your sister is right—you must go to ground—now," Julian told him firmly.

* * *

><p>"Thank you, so much, Deputy Stackhouse, I hadn't heard about the two Shifters who were killed," said the attractive forty-something African-American guidance counselor sitting across from him at her desk. "We have seven shifter families with eleven children registered here; four werewolf families with eight children registered—two of which are my own son and daughter. I'll be happy to give you their names and let them know to expect your call."<p>

"I should probably get to the elementary and middle school and talk to someone about this, as well. Do you have any contacts you can give me?"

"I'll let you in on a little secret, Deputy...most Weres and Shifters don't even send their kids to school until high school, when the children can safely control their abilities; typically they're home-schooled up to that point. But I know teachers at both the elementary and middle school you can contact to confirm if there are any supernatural children registered or not."

"Wow, I didn't know that. Thank you, Ms. Hines. Actually, is it 'Miss' or 'Mrs.'?"

"It's Miss—my husband and I divorced over five years ago—why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just wondered if you have someone to help you look out for the kids, is all. I advise that the children be escorted to and from school for their added safety. My sister is helping me with that..." he said and then suddenly looked a question as he wondered if that statement was still true.

"Deputy Stackhouse? Is something wrong? Are you okay?" Ms. Hines asked him as she took note of the look of worry on his face.

"Uh, I'm sorry. I'm fine, thank you for asking."

"My kids typically come in and leave with me everyday unless they have band or football practice—my mother and two brothers can be counted on to help if I need them. And I will definitely suggest to the other families I contact today to heed your advice," she assured him.

"Good. Look, thank you for your time and all of your help, Ms. Hines—it's really appreciated."

"My pleasure and thank _you, _Deputy Stackhouse. Let me get that list of names and numbers for you..."

* * *

><p>"Miss Lettie Mae? What are you doing here? I thought..."<p>

"Come on in, Jason. I had to bring some things to my sister—this little scamp here, amongst other things..." Lettie Mae said of Buster, who was jumping excitedly at Jason's feet and then planted his fore paws on Jason's knees.

"Where's Sookie?" he asked as he absently patted the little dog on his head.

"Come with me, honey..."

* * *

><p>"I don't understand...we just had dinner last night together—Sookie was fine. And the last time I heard anything about Debbie Pelt, well, she and Sook were gettin' along just fine—she even helped her by tricking Marnie so Sook could get in to the Moon Goddess Emporium that night and help the hostages..." Jason's voice was full of confusion; he was visibly shaken as Ruby Jean, Claudette and Lettie Mae led him out of his unresponsive sister's room and back downstairs.<p>

"A lot has happened since that night, Jason," Claudette informed him softly. "Alcide and Debbie's relationship had disintegrated and Debbie blamed Sookie for that and every other bad aspect of her life. She put on a good face, but her jealousy of Sookie never really ceased, at all. Alcide's abjuration of her was the final straw."

"Abjuration? What the hell is that?"

"Amongst werewolves it is a solemn renunciation, by oath, of association."

Jason still looked confused. "English, please?" he asked her.

"A break-up of the worst kind, baby, like a divorce," Ruby Jean supplied.

"Well, damn. So what do we do now?"

"You know as well as all of us that Sookie has had no time to herself to properly address what happened to her in New Orleans. So what we do now is wait for Dr. Laborde to get here, honey—he's due here at ten," Ruby Jean told him.

"Well, where is Debbie's body? Did y'all call the police? Has the coroner been here?"

"Eric sent a team of guards, not long after he left here, Jason...they cleaned up everything and took Debbie's body away," Claudette told him.

"Took it where? Has Alcide been called? He has to know..."

"We know that, honey—Sookie was very torn up about that—it's one of the things that took her over the brink. She blames herself for everything, Jason—your gran's death and every awful thing that has ever happened in Bon Temps," Ruby Jean said.

Jason broke down into tears then, completely overwhelmed by everything. Ruby Jean took him into her capable arms and sat him down on the couch.

"Ruby Jean, he's worried about his children...Sookie was going to pick them up from school..." Claudette told her delicately. "I can't help but to hear him," she apologized. "I don't mean to intrude, Jason..." she told him softly.

"I can pick up the kids—I'd be happy to do it," Lettie Mae volunteered.

"He'll need you every day, Lettie Mae—he and Sookie had made that arrangement before, because of the vigilantes," Claudette explained further.

"I can do that, no problem at all."

Through his sobs and Ruby Jean's embrace Jason reached out hand to Lettie Mae who took it and joined her sister in comforting him.

"You try and calm your soul, Jason. We're all going to get through this—Sookie is going to get through this, baby." With Claudette looking on and Buster trying desperately to get in on the love, Lettie Mae gave Jason's hand a reassuring squeeze as she knelt on the floor by the couch.


	98. A Call To Come Home

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 98 A Call To Come Home

Doctor Neil Laborde's thoughts had been all over the map when he began the eighty-five mile drive from Shreveport to Bon Temps; as he passed the sprawling oak and magnificent magnolia trees in full bloom adorning the highway memories of his childhood came riding in on the breeze with the sweet, intoxicating scent of the magnolias through his open windows, as his long salt-and-pepper hair whipped wildly about. It was hot but not too uncomfortable at eighty-four degrees and the smell was too delicious to trade in for the cool but boring smell of nothing offered in comparison by the air conditioning. He was transported back in time when he and his younger brother, Vincent, spent whole days as children just exploring the woods behind their house in Bossier City or fishing at the Red River. Those were magical days that always brought a smile to his face. He needed that feeling then and allowed himself to wallow in it before he returned his thoughts to Lydia Broussard's case load and the new patients that Holly Cleary had referred to him.

A little over an hour later he was parked in front of Sookie's house and was greeted by Ruby Jean, Claudette and Lettie Mae.

"Thank you so much for coming, doctor Laborde," Ruby Jean greeted him first. "I'm Ruby Jean Reynolds—Holly told you about me?"

"Yes, Mrs. Reynolds, very pleased to meet you," he said as he shook her hand.

"This is Miss Claudette, Sookie's kin, and my sister, Miss Lettie Mae."

"Hello, ladies, I'm pleased to meet you all. I'm sorry it's under such circumstances but it pleases me to see so many loving people rallying around the young lady. Will you take me to her, now?"

"You don't look old enough to be no doctor," Lettie Mae said before she could catch herself.

"Sister, please..." Ruby Jean scolded her.

The doctor only smiled—he had gotten that a lot over the years. In Shreveport women often did a double-take before they approached him with wide eyes and unbelieving smiles, thinking that they were in the presence of "The Pretty Woman's Brother" or "That Guy From The Disaronno Ad" to which he had to politely tell them they were quite mistaken before he sent them on their still suspicious way.

"I may look young for my forty-five years, Miss Lettie Mae, but I assure you that I am more than properly credentialed and have been practicing for the past seventeen years."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean no disrespect," she apologized.

"None taken, ma'am."

"This way, doctor," said Claudette as she ushered him into the house and upstairs to see Sookie. Ruby Jean and Lettie Mae stopped at the bottom of the stairs as the two of them proceeded on, then took hold of one another's hand as they waited.

When the doctor entered Sookie's room he saw a girl lying with her eyes closed upon her bed and was reminded immediately of Sleeping Beauty. She was a young woman, approximately twenty-three to twenty-six years old; blonde; slight but healthy-looking; resting peacefully as she appeared to be napping. He looked around her room and took in its girlish decor and country charm and a sense of sweet innocence washed over him as he smiled slightly. At the foot of her bed a cute little black and white cocker spaniel mix was napping; he yawned in his sleep and opened his groggy eyes enough to register the presence of the two other people in the room and closed them again as he gave himself back over to sweet slumber. The doctor looked at Miss Claudette then, another beautiful woman of seemingly indeterminate age and realized that she had been watching him intently conveying no readable emotion at all.

"Yes, you may..." she told him then.

"Excuse me?"

"You may take her vitals, doctor. Please do."

"Uh...how did..." he began with a confused frown.

"I'll explain later...please..." she motioned to Sookie.

"Yes..." The doctor sat gingerly beside his patient and retrieved the tools of his trade from his medical bag: penlight; stethoscope; pressure cuff, for starters. He opened her right eyelid to reveal her lovely brown iris; he swept the light in a curving motion under the bottom right pupil but there was no constriction, Her pupil, however, was not dilated. He performed the test on the other eye with the same result. He then listened to her breathing: normal; he took her blood pressure: normal. He said her name: no response. He put his equipment away.

"I really can't tell anything at this point, Miss Claudette. I can't tell you exactly what the problem is, but something is going on here that is way beyond my scope. I understand that the family wants her to be seen to here at home, but she really needs to go the hospital and have proper testing done. I also recommend that she be attended to by a psychiatrist—I know several excellent ones at the LSU Health Sciences Psychiatry Department; she can be admitted today, given a proper forty-eight hour testing and diagnosis period and sent back home with private nurses, equipment, anything she needs—I was contacted by a representative of a Mr. Eric Northman earlier this morning who assured that whatever her needs may require are to be billed to him. I can transport her in my car if you would kindly come along with me..."

Just then Claudette received a message.

"_No, Claudette—you must not let him take her—no human hospitals."_

"Miss Claudette?" the doctor called her name, noting with some alarm the sudden and strange look upon her previously unreadable face.

"Uh, I must confer with the ladies downstairs—will you come with me, please?"

"Certainly."

She led him back downstairs while in hurried conversation with the other in her head.

"_Forgive me, I thought I would never hear from you again...I..."_

"_No time for that, Claudette. He must not take her—bring her to me—she will heal much better here."_

"_But..."_

"_Do not disobey me, girl—bring her home. Explain to the others the truth, but right now tell the doctor you must talk to Jason first to stall him and get him to go. We must talk—you must get rid of him."_

"_Yes, my Queen."_

When they reached the other two waiting women Claudette tried to keep her composure.

"The doctor says Sookie needs to be referred to a psychiatrist and go in for testing—where, doctor?"

"The LSU Health Sciences Psychiatry Department in Shreveport," he told Ruby Jean and Lettie Mae. "For forty-eight hours of testing, diagnosis and observation—she could then be sent back home with..."

"Eric has graciously made arrangements to fund her needs," Claudette interjected. "But I would really like to confer with her brother, as well—don't you think?" she asked of Ruby Jean and Lettie Mae. Lettie Mae just looked confused even though she was nodding her head in agreement.

Ruby Jean picked up immediately that Claudette was stalling. "Of course. He needs to be consulted, by all means—surely you understand, Doctor Laborde?"

"Well, will that be today?"

"Of course. He's a Deputy Sheriff with the Bon Temps police department—we'll put in an emergency call—he's been waiting to hear and I really think we should let him make this decision."

"Well, pardon me ladies, but there's no real decision to be made—that girl up there needs immediate psychiatric care—more than I am able to render—and she needs it right away. I can wait here while you put your call in to him."

"No!" said Claudette and Ruby Jean in unison.

"I know he'll want to get here right away, but he is at work and he could be unable to come just this instant. Can't we call you after we talk to him," asked Ruby Jean sweetly.

"Well, I made the trip out here and I'd be happy to take her to Shreveport, but I need to know when I can expect to be on our way—I must call admissions..."

"Well, we can't tell you how long that will be. Can't arrangements be made for her admission and we get her there as soon as we talk talk to Jason? You would still be present wouldn't you? We'd just bring her ourselves—wouldn't that be alright?" asked Claudette.

"Well, I suppose so...I'll be back in Shreveport by..." he looked at his watch, "noon if there's no traffic or at least by two...I could put the calls in...I guess we're realistically looking at admission around five or six this evening, between your communication with her brother and travel time. That wouldn't really be a problem..." he said, thinking out loud.

"Thank you so much, doctor, we really appreciate it. Can we get you anything before you go? Breakfast? Coffee? Maybe we'll have reached Jason by then..." said Ruby Jean.

"Well, thank you for that, I really could use a cup of coffee."

"Please have a seat...we'll be right back," said Ruby Jean as she yanked at her sister's elbow and led her to the kitchen.

Claudette took a cell phone out of her dress pocket and began to dial. "I'm calling her brother right now—please excuse me?" she told him as she hurriedly followed the other two to the kitchen.

"Well, what in the world?" asked Ruby Jean in a hushed voice when they all three got there. "Lettie Mae, honey, make the coffee..." she whispered.

"My Queen contacted me—she wants me to bring Sookie to Faery to heal—she says that she must not be examined by human doctors—not now."

"You mean where Sookie was before—when we all thought she was dead?" asked Lettie Mae as she fumbled about nervously over the coffee maker.

"_The portal is open, Claudette—come to me..."_

"Yes, and please keep your voice down..." Claudette cautioned her just as nervously. I need to talk to her—she's calling me now. I'm going out there and tell him that I haven't reached Jason yet and then I'm going to Faery. I'll be back soon, alright?"

"Yes, yes, honey, we got it here—go on..." Ruby Jean assured her.

"Doctor Laborde, I haven't been able to reach her brother yet, but I have left the message with his superior. I'm sure we'll hear from him soon—I'm going to make some other calls...your coffee is almost ready. I'll be seeing you this evening, then—please excuse me?" Claudette said when she returned to him.

"Certainly," he rose to shake her hand. "This evening."

"Yes," Claudette shook his hand and then left him as she headed for Sookie's room. Once there she gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead.

"Sookie, my love, I shall return for you—help is truly on the way..." Claudette whispered to her before she disappeared.

* * *

><p>"Hello?"<p>

"Jason, honey..."

"Miss Ruby Jean?"

"Yes, honey..."

"So what did the doctor say?"

"The doctor said Sookie needs more help than he can provide—psychiatric care—he wants to admit her tonight for at least forty-eight hours...but Claudette was contacted by her Queen, Jason—the Queen said Sookie must not be seen by human doctors—she wants her to come back to Faery..."

"What? Hell no!"

"Not to stay, honey, just to heal. We had a bit of a time stalling off the good doctor, let me tell you...where are you?"

"Well, I guess. I'm in Shreveport...I'm getting ready to talk to Alcide...about Debbie..."

"Oh my..."

"Yeah."

"Well, the doctor is gone now and Claudette is in Faery as we speak, talking to her Queen—when can you get home, honey?"

"As soon as I'm done here. Don't let Claudette take her away before I get there, Miss Ruby Jean, promise me?" he asked her frantically.

"Oh baby, she wouldn't do that. Good luck with Alcide and just get yourself home safe—we're waiting for you."

"Alright—thank you, sweetheart." They both rang off. Jason took a deep breath and tried not scream out loud. He got out of his cruiser and headed for Alcide's office.

* * *

><p>"My Queen..." Claudette knelt before Mab, tears in her eyes.<p>

"Rise, girl, there is much to discuss...walk with me..." Queen Mab said as she descended from her throne and linked her arm through Claudette's. They walked out of her chamber and out into the courtyard.

"Claudette, I have been watching everything, closely, since you've been gone. The situation on Earth is regrettable, but I can not abandon you or Sookie. I need two things from you: I need you to bring Sookie here and help me with her healing. I also need you to be a representative, my liaison, with Chancellor Manners—I am convinced that right-thinking vampires do not aspire to synthesize us for use with Tru Blood, but I will never return to Earth; I will never allow our kind to return to Earth; our race will have to re-populate the old fashioned way and stay here where it is safe. While Sookie is recuperating you may travel between Faery and Earth, only as needed and only if it is safe to do so, to give reports to her loved ones. But once Sookie is healed you will never be able to go back again, do you understand and will you abide this edict?"

"Yes, my Queen."

"If she ever needs me, and it must be dire, as it is now—I will help her, always. In the future she will not have to be escorted—I will teleport her here straight away."

"I understand. What about the other hybrids on Earth?"

"I found them all. Those still alive had all made their way back to their families and told me that they wish to stay."

"You didn't ask me, my Queen," she dared to level at her. There was no anger in Claudette's accusation, just sadness.

"You are full Fae, girl—a target to every unrestrained, rogue, voracious vampire who catches your scent—do you mean to tell me that you could possibly wish to stay? And with so much turmoil raging?"

"I would have liked to have been given the choice, instead of an order."

Queen Mab took her into her arms and embraced the sobbing woman mightily. "I don't understand you at all, Claudette," she murmured into her hair. "I suppose I never did—not you or your brother and sister. So idealistic, you all were. You experienced something wonderful once, but it was never going to work. It's bad enough that Sookie and other hybrids still populate that horrid little blue planet. You know the story of Lilith—if they ever got their greedy fangs on another full fairy all hell would break loose, you know this.

"There will always be some vampire who desires that which he is not entitled to. Always. Octavian Valerius was not the first or the last vampire to desire world domination; Russell Edgington was not the first or the last to desire walking in the light of the sun and try to bring it to fruition. As tasty as our blood is to them, it is a drug. And too much of it, especially the access they desire, only ever spells war and destruction, for their kind and all humanity. They can not handle it. And there are too many factions. It is a battle that has raged through all eternity and will continue. We simply must remove ourselves if we are to survive. The lives we save, supernatural and human, goes beyond counting, my Claudette. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was better when they were creatures in the shadows. To be known, to be accepted—mainstreaming is just another reincarnation of trying to walk in the light, don't you see? It was doomed to fail. We can not help them—we can only help ourselves. We must stay out of it.

"Eric wants to make Sookie his consort—do you know how that will rankle some others? The danger that it will put them both in? She must not EVER be turned. I understand that they love each other, but let us be honest—his love is very much a product of the effect of the drug coursing through her veins. She has been very lucky that she had the love of not one, but two vampires who were able to restrain themselves enough to handle her responsibly. They are the exception, Claudette, the very rare exception, not the rule. They are content with being creatures of the night. They do not seek her light. Others do. She will always be a target. A temptation. An open invitation to murder and mayhem.

"I couldn't convince any of the hybrids to come back here, as I know I never could with Sookie. I know she will want to go back home—everyone wants to go back home. Earth was never our home because we always shared it with vampires. And they almost wiped us out. I didn't ask you if you wanted to come home—here—Claudette, because I thought it simply was not a question ," Queen Mab concluded softly before she released her.

Claudette wiped her tears away and tried to compose herself.

"Claudette, I want you to think long and hard. I don't want your answer until it is time to return Sookie. I see now that it is a question: can you be happy here? Forever? You tell me when the time comes and I will honor your wish. Until then may we concentrate on these other matters at hand?"

"Yes, my Queen," Claudette knelt before her in gratitude and then hugged her knees. "Thank you, so much."

"Alright now, enough of that. They are waiting for you and there is much to do. You bring our girl here tonight after you have spoken with the Chancellor, yes?"

"Yes, my Queen."

* * *

><p>"Hey, man, good to see you!" said Alcide as he rose from his desk to come and shake Jason's hand. "You caught me at the rare moment when I'm actually behind this desk—our last cement order was totally fouled up and I just spent the last hour on the phone trying not to have a massive coronary talking to idiots. It's all straight now, though, thank God. But enough of that crap—what's up? Have a seat, man," he smiled at his friend as he motioned to the chair across form his desk and then sat back in his own.<p>

Jason looked down at the floor uneasily. "Uh, Alcide, I've got some bad news, man..."

"Huh? What's the matter, Jason? Is something wrong with Sookie?" Alcide's smile turned to an immediate frown.

"Ain't something always wrong with Sookie?" Jason mumbled in frustration.

"Jason, what is it?" Alcide demanded as he rose from his chair, his fists balled up tightly at his sides.

"Alcide, Debbie Pelt is dead," Jason finally said as he looked him in the eyes.

"What? What?"

"She uh, broke in on Sookie early this morning, not long after midnight, armed with a shotgun...to kill her. Sookie got the gun away from her but then Debbie transformed and went in for the kill. Sookie killed her in self-defense." Jason didn't mention that Sookie used her fairy power to do it.

Alcide had no words as he sat back down heavily in his chair.

"I'm really sorry, Alcide. I know you two were broken up and all, but..."

"Uh-huh, thanks," Alcide said angrily. "So she sent you here to give me the news, huh? She couldn't tell me her damn self?"

Jason snapped and jumped up from his seat angrily.

"No, man—she can't tell nobody nothin'! She's so wracked with guilt over killing the love of your life that she literally lost her fucking mind worried about you and the hurt she's caused you. She's layin' up in her bed, right now, like in a fucking coma—just fucking gone off the deep-fucking end man! She blames herself for every God-awful, fucked-up disaster that's ever happened in Bon Temps and just about every other thing in creation. A psychologist just came this morning to see her and you know what he said?"

Alcide said nothing.

"He said she was too fucked-up for him to help, she needs a real shrink and she needs to be admitted to a mental institution, to boot!"

"Jason, I'm..."

"Oh, it gets fucking better, man—her fairy Godmother told Claudette: 'No, don't let the human doctors get their hands on her, bring her back to Faery'...fucking Faery, man! Off Earth—like she's fucking recalling E-Goddamn-T or some shit!" Jason railed.

"Jason..."

"Look, I'm really sorry about Debbie, from the bottom of my heart I am. But they didn't call us—Eric fucking Northman got there before I did—if you want to know where Debbie's body is, I can't tell you and I'm sorry about that, too. You'll have to talk to him about that , cuz I'm sure her family will want to make arrangements and such. But I gotta go now—Claudette is taking Sookie away soon and I want to get there before they go. I'm sorry I went off, I really am, but I really don't know how much more of this shit I can take, my damn self."

"Jason..." Alcide went to his distraught friend and took him by the shoulders, "I'm sorry, man. Thank you for coming to tell me, I appreciate you, I really do. And I'm sorry Sookie's so torn up. I knew a long time ago that Debbie was gonna come to a bad end, she betrayed me one time too many and that's why I abjured her. I'm sorry she came gunning for Sookie—I wish she had come for me, I really do. Let me come with you—maybe if Sookie hears it from me—God, maybe it could help. She absolutely shouldn't feel guilty...about anything. Let me come with you?"

"Sure, man...look, I'm sorry..."

"Hey, we both are. Come on, let's get the fuck outta here—you okay to drive? I can drive if you want..."

"No, I can drive. I'm headin' back in the cruiser with lights screaming, man, I just don't give a fuck right now."

Alcide gave him look that said 'hell no' as he fished his keys from his pocket. "That's exactly why I'm driving—park your cruiser in that garage over there," he pointed through the window in back of Jason, "and then let's go," he ordered him.

"I can't just..."

"Don't fuckin' argue with me now, Jason—park it and let's ride. Move it..."


	99. Then The Sun Went Down

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 99 Then The Sun Went Down

When Alcide and Jason arrived at Sookie's house they jumped out of Alcide's truck, bounded up the front steps and found that Claudette was back from Faery.

"Where's everybody?" asked Jason.

"Ruby Jean and Lettie Mae are in the kitchen cooking for everyone."

"I can't eat now!" Jason bellowed exasperatedly.

"Of course you can't, boy, but when you get hungry there'll be hot meal waitin' for you—act like you know," came Ruby Jean's stern voice as she approached them. "Come here..." she ordered Jason and gave him a strong hug which he returned.

"I'm sorry, Miss Ruby Jean," he said, immediately ashamed of himself.

"Just calm yourself, honey—I know that's asking a lot right about now, but try," she said softly.

"Can I see her, please?" asked Alcide quietly, looking to Ruby Jean and then Claudette. Claudette nodded and Alcide took off up the stairs.

"What's all this about taking Sookie back to Faery, Claudette?" Jason asked her then, his voice tinged with anger.

"We can help her, Jason, better than any doctor here on Earth, you must trust me on that."

"Well, how long are you gonna keep her? We gotta lose her another whole year?"

"Even I can't answer that, Jason. It will take as long as it takes—even a human doctor would tell you that. It will be in Sookie's own good time and no one else's."

"Well, not that I'm rushing you by a damn sight, but when are you taking her?"

"I must talk to the vampire Chancellor of the Authority, by order of my Queen. As soon as I have concluded my business with him we will go."

"You know, I'm not even going to ask what the hell that's all about..." Jason said disgustedly as he sat on the couch. "I'm so tired..."

"Why don't you lie down a bit honey? Take yourself a little nap?" Ruby Jean suggested.

"I should get back to work—I haven't even called in to my boss...hell, I don't even have my cruiser," he muttered to himself.

"Well, call Sheriff Jones and check in, if it will make you feel better—I know she'll understand. Or don't—what she doesn't know right this minute won't hurt her. You look worn out—take a little power nap then decide what you want to do next. Lettie Mae's got the kids this afternoon, the babies are safe with Maxine and Sookie is still here. Take a minute to breathe, baby, please," Ruby Jean pleaded with him.

Jason found it hard to argue with her logic just then.

"That's it, stretch out—take your shoes off..." he obeyed her, "there you go. Lie down and rest a minute...that's it."

Jason plumped a pillow and as soon as head hit it he was nodding off.

"Come on, Claudette," she whispered, "let's go to the kitchen..."

Upstairs Alcide was looking at his friend with tears in his eyes. She looked like she was sleeping but he knew that she wasn't. He had just stood watching her for a long while from the doorway feeling completely helpless before he approached the bed and knelt beside it. Buster, who had been lying at the foot of the bed looking forlorn got up, went to the man and sniffed him, then made to jump up on the bed, as if to alert the sleeping woman, but he was unable to breach it.

"I know how you feel, little dude..." Alcide said to the little puppy as he gave him a sad smile. Buster gave up jumping at the side of the bed and then settled down next to Alcide. Alcide turned his attention back to the woman upon the bed and took one of her small hands into his two big ones.

"Sookie, you have to hear me right now. In my heart I know that you do. I am so sorry about Debbie. I loved that girl practically my whole life; I gave her every chance I could for her to turn her life around and get right. But once some people go wrong there just ain't no turning back and she couldn't do it. But if I forgave her for all the ways she hurt me, you have to know that I would forgive you anything, woman. You've never hurt me, never tried to hurt me; you've been nothing but honest and upfront and a real friend. I don't blame you for protecting yourself, Sookie. Debbie would still be here if she'd had any real sense of herself, but she didn't, honey. And I know that. She had problems long before she ever became a V addict; you and I both know that you weren't the cause of her insecurities. I don't even know why she was so fucked up—she had everything: loving parents, a life filled with promise—she had my love. She didn't ever seem to really appreciate any of that and I don't know why. I can't even blame Cooter and the fucked-up pack, because her problems started even before that.

"But none of that is your concern. What matters now is that you get better. You have to get better, Sookie. If going to Faery will help you do that then I say Godspeed. My heartbreak over Debbie started a long time ago and only Debbie was the reason for that. Don't you go blaming yourself for a damn thing where she's concerned, do you hear me? Or any damn thing else. Vampires...vampire haters...fairies...werewolves...supernaturals...imperfect humans—imperfect all of us—you didn't create these things, Sookie, we just...are. And you didn't create the problems that come along with all of us existing here together."

Alcide started to choke up; his tears started to flow anew as he realized that they were flowing for Sookie and Debbie, as well, mourning them both. He held her fast with one hand and with his free one beat at his chest in anger as he held back a growl of tortured frustration. Below him Buster jumped and then scurried away from him in alarm.

"You get better and you come back," he ordered her. "We all love you...I love you. You get better and come back to us." He kissed the back of her hand, settled it gingerly back at her side and then left her.

* * *

><p>The long day stretched into late afternoon. Because they were both full of nervous energy and shared anxiety and there was much time to kill before Sookie would be taken away, Alcide and Jason had gone back to Shreveport to retrieve his cruiser. Alcide went back to Sookie's and Jason went back to work, with Sheriff Jones being none the wiser about his three hour extended break. He didn't even tell her about Sookie until the end of his shift after he had done some honest work. He kept it to a minimum, telling her only that Sookie needed to go away from Bon Temps for some much needed R &amp; R. He couldn't even mention the part about Debbie Pelt because that incident was off the books.<p>

"Well, if anybody does it would would be your sweet sister. Give her my love, Jason, and tell her I said get well real soon."

"I will, boss, thanks."

He went home to relieve Maxine and updated her on what had happened earlier in the day.

"Jason, you know your secret is safe with me. You've been such a blessing in my life and such a good friend to my Hoyt...I think you know I'm a changed woman from the gossipy fussbudget I used to be and I wish only the best for Sookie—may I come with you to see her off?" she asked him with a tear in her eye.

"I sure appreciate that, Miss Maxine—of course you can come," Jason told her, truly touched. They got the babies ready for a trip in the van and headed to Sookie's house where Timbo and Becky had been taken after school and were already there waiting for them.

When Jason and Maxine got there they found everyone preparing to have dinner.

"Miss Maxine! So good to see you—come on in honey and get a plate," said Lettie Mae when she opened the door to let them in. "Jason, Becky and Timbo did their homework and are upstairs visiting with Sookie—you go up and tell them to wash up and come down for dinner—give me this little one here," she said as she took little Michelle from him.

"And you hand him over to me," said Ruby Jean to Maxine as she took Corbett gingerly in hand. "Go on in there and get some dinner—we got fried chicken, spaghetti, corn on the cob, candied yams, cornbread, sweet peas, garden salad and fresh lemonade—go on girl and come back out here so we can catch up..." Maxine gave her a big smile and a hug then went to the kitchen.

In the living room Alcide was sitting on the couch dreading the setting of the sun.

"Won't you go and have some dinner, Alcide?" Claudette asked him worriedly.

"I'm just not hungry, Claudette, but thanks for your concern," he smiled weakly at her.

"I'll be leaving soon—I must catch King Northman before he leaves to meet with the Chancellor."

"Well, you should probably give Ginger a call so that she can tell him to expect you. Here..." Alcide took his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Fangtasia. "Somebody human should be there to relay the message...if not just leave yours on the voice mail..." he said as he handed it to her.

Upstairs Jason was retrieving the kids. He approached the closed door and could hear them telling Sookie about their day.

"Hey guys, Miss Lettie Mae said get washed up and come eat," he said to Becky and Timbo when he popped his head inside Sookie's door.

"Hey, Jason!" Timbo greeted him.

"Hey, son." _Son_. It had come out so naturally, as if Timbo had never not been a part of his life.

"Hey, Jason," said Becky as she rose from the floor to come give him a hug.

"Hey, little girl...why...you're crying..." he said as he saw her tears. He whipped a fresh handkerchief from his breast pocket and dried them away. "It's gonna be alright, I promise. I know that having you here is helping your aunt Sookie a lot—I can sure feel the love in this room and I know she loves you right back. Yeah?"

"Yes," Becky affirmed through loud sniffles.

"Go on, honey, go get some dinner. I'll sit with her now. You too, Timbo." They left him reluctantly.

Jason took a seat in the chair on the other side of the bed.

"Well, Sook, you'll be on your way in a while. I don't know what in the world I'm gonna do without you here, I really don't. But you know what? It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you get better. I'll be down here doing the same thing and when we get back together, both of us all whole and healed? Well, that's gonna be the happiest day ever. That's what I'll be prayin' for and waitin' on, little sister.

"There's a lot of people downstairs who love you, girl, here to see you off—Miss Maxine is here...I think you've talked to everybody else...Kenya sends her love to you—I didn't tell her the real story, just that you're going away for a while." Jason looked at her bedside clock. "Eric will be up soon—I know it's chappin' his hide like crazy that he can't get in here to you...I'm sure he'll be outside on the lawn kickin' his own ass over deeding the house back to you," Jason chuckled. "Hell, I know he loves you, though. Ain't heard from Tara and Bill yet—I don't think they've landed yet—or maybe they have and are gone to ground...I don't know, I can't think straight right now...I know I'm rambling, I'm sorry. I should probably just shut up and let you have some peace and quiet, huh? Yeah, I'll do that..." he said as he leaned back in the chair and got as comfortable as he could. Within moments Jason was asleep.

Downstairs Claudette was preparing to go.

"Well, Alcide, King Eric is waiting for me. I'm just going to go upstairs and slip away now."

"Alright, I understand. We'll see you back here soon."

"Yes, it shouldn't take very long."

"We'll all be here," he assured her. Claudette gave him a warm smile and left him.

* * *

><p>Seconds later she was standing outside of Fangtasia where Eric was waiting for her.<p>

"Claudette, good evening."

"Hello, King Eric."

"Sookie is..."

"The same and surrounded by those who love her," Claudette said as she took his hand.

"Good. Nora, Chow and Ginger are gone to talk to Sam, but Nora will join us shortly after we get there. Come with me, then."

"Yes."

* * *

><p>When Nora, Chow, and Ginger got to Merlottes the place was near deserted. Holly was sitting in a booth by herself, her shift over, waiting to meet her sons; there was one patron at the bar having a beer and watching the big screen with the one waitress on shift; Sam was behind the bar, waiting for them. When he saw them walk in he went to greet them.<p>

"Good evening, everybody—I got chairs set up in my office—we can talk there," he said as he led them back. When they were behind his closed door Nora spoke first.

"I can't stay long, I must get to Authority headquarters. Sam, how would you feel about offering your business up here as a safe haven for all species, human and supernatural? As a friend of the Authority we would like to post guards here and offer protection to you—around the clock—and would also like to promote your business in an official PSA, on their web site, television, radio—the works. We're going to do that at all vampire bars in Louisiana, as well, and anywhere else this anti-supernatural vigilantism may crop up around the nation—if it spreads that far."

"Actually," he looked at them all, "I think that's a good idea. I've lost business like crazy since all of this started to happen. Everyone is afraid to come out at night. Yeah, let's do it."

Nora smiled broadly. "Wonderful, and thank you, Sam. I must go now, but Chow and Ginger would like to discuss your progress in this situation working with Sheriff Jones and Andy Bellefleur and in what ways they and Eric can help you. I'll leave it to you all now. Thank you so much."

"No, thank you, Nora and please pass that on to the Authority for me."

"I will. Good night." She disappeared.

"Eric will be here when his meeting is over, Sam. So tell us—how's it going and what can we do to help?" asked Chow.

* * *

><p>At her booth Holly had finally been joined by her sons, Rocky and Wade.<p>

"What the hell was that?" asked Rocky as he saw something whiz past them all in a blur.

"Come on now, you've seen vampires coming and going before," Holly said with an exasperated roll of her eyes.

"Maybe you have, ma, but I ain't never," said Rocky.

"Me either," said Wade.

"Well, you have now."

"Ma, what are we doing here? I need to get home and clean my gun," Wade complained.

"Yeah, well, I've been on my feet all day, I'm not cooking..."

"You never cook," Rocky shot her a look.

"You eat every night, don't you?" she snapped at him.

"Yeah," he answered her begrudgingly.

"Look, here comes dinner now..." she said as their waitress approached. "Thanks so much, Val."

"Sure, boss. Y'all enjoy," she said before she headed back to the bar.

"Well, eat—that's Terry's famous crawfish and andouille sausage pizza."

"It does look good," Rocky admitted.

"Well, stop looking at it and put some in your mouth," Holly said as she took a slice and put it on her plate.

Both boys dug in and on the first bite gave each other a look of pure unchecked delight.

Holly knew better than to talk to her boys about anything serious on an empty stomach, or before they finished eating, especially Rocky. She waited patiently for them to devour two pizzas before she brought up what she wanted to talk about and appealed to her oldest son first.

"I want to talk to you both about Andy," she began firmly, looking directly into Rocky's eyes.

"Aw, shit, I knew this was some kinda trick," he groaned at her as he stamped his foot under the table and pushed his empty plate loudly away from him and into his drinking glass.

Holly looked at him long and hard before she spoke again. Rocky was sure that he was going to hear the old 'You're Just Like Your Father' complaint and braced himself for it with a scowl on his face and his arms crossed against his chest. Wade, who completely idolized his big brother, assumed the same pose.

"You know, believe it or not, there was a time when your daddy was a real man and we loved each other; both of you were conceived when he was at his best, so I know it's in you to be better than this. If I didn't believe that you wouldn't be living with me; if I didn't believe that I wouldn't have made all the apologies that I have all these years to your teachers, other kids' parents, others in our own family—to myself."

Rocky wasn't expecting that and didn't know what to say. Wade, thinking the way he expected his brother would have reacted, spoke up without thinking for himself at all.

"Fuck that, ma." Under the table Rocky kicked him. "What?" Wade turned to him angry and confused.

"Wade, Rocky—I said I made apologies—for your behavior, your bad manners; all the bullying and the fighting and the trouble you always were so hell bent on causing yourselves. And me. But I never made apologies for you _being_ my sons. Whether either of you give a damn or not I love you both. I ain't no rich woman, but have you ever gone without clothes on your back? Food to eat? Bullets for your damn guns? No." she answered for them. "Ever since you could both walk, talk and run—have I ever kept you away from your father? No, I have not. Have I _ever_ brought a man into our home that lorded over you or tried to treat you badly? No, I have not."

Rocky was squirming uncomfortably in his seat under the burden of truths his mother was leveling at them both.

"Now, y'all caught me in a pretty compromising situation with Andy a while back, but I'm a grown woman and the two of you are almost grown men. It wasn't no crime. I'm entitled to a life. I'll have to do better about respecting your privacy and you'll both need to do the same with me. I know you've got girls and sometimes I hear you out front in the driveway. That's not cool."

Wade looked over at his brother, who was beet red with embarrassment, and snickered at him.

"You got no room to be so insensitive, Wade—you take far too long in the bathroom handling your particular business and I'm real tired of the balled-up dirty socks you leave behind. If you've ever wondered why you don't have any matching pairs it because I pick the disgusting things up and throw them away. So, either clean up after yourself, wash them or start using your allowance to buy new ones because I'm not doing any of those things, anymore."

Rocky looked at his brother then and laughed out loud at him.

"This isn't funny, boys. I'm not trying to embarrass you. I'm not afraid of your sexuality. Just be responsible and as safe as possible—and by that I mean cognizant and discerning—look those words up if you don't know what they mean and tattoo _that _on your ass the next time you hit the parlor.

"Andy Bellefleur is a good man. A man that I want to grow with, do you even remotely feel me? He could be a friend if you open yourselves and let him. I'm not asking you to feel something you don't and I don't want anybody forcing anything that don't come natural. He knows you have a daddy, he knows you're not little boys looking for one; he loves me and at this point I really like him a helluva lot. And as long as you're both living with me I DEMAND the same respect back that I've always given to you. Right now you don't like Andy just based on general principle; I understand that, but I won't have it. If he ever gives you some reason to really not like him, then have at it and tell me about it. Otherwise, he deserves your respect, as well, on general principle. Period.

"I have a lot of love in my heart and I don't have to parcel it out and won't be around anyone who thinks that I should have to. Just like I love you both equally there's always room for more in my heart and I don't show no favoritism—do you both understand me?"

Rocky looks at his mother for the first time in years, really looks at her, and realizes that he's given her an extremely raw deal. He doesn't smile at her or reach out to her but his eyes speak volumes at her and her face brightens before he even says a word.

"I understand, ma." In those three words she hears the multitude of thoughts and sentiments he may never express but feels them all.

"Thank you, Rocky."

Wade was totally confused by his brother's reaction and didn't know what to say. He didn't like Andy's intrusion into their lives even though, truth be told, it was cool that he was a Sheriff. Was, he remembered.

"Wade, I know you heard me, and believe it or not you do have an opinion of your own—you gonna share it?" she asked him.

"He ain't even a Sheriff no more," he complained, stubbornly refusing for once to follow his brother's lead.

"That all you got?"

Wade closed his lips tight and said no more.

"So, you're ready to move in with your daddy now, is that it? Because I told you I ain't having no disrespect and I mean that, young man. If that's too much for you then pack your bags when we get home and go, but you know deep down you'll last about as long as a fart in a whirlwind if you go stay with him. But, it's your choice."

"I understand, ma," he managed at last.

"Thank you, Wade. Now come on..." she motioned to Val who looked over her way when Holly stood up, "I know you two want to go home and get ready for your hunting trip in the morning...we're taking one these pizzas to go," she said as she put her money and tip on the table. They saw Val come back to the table with a fresh boxed pizza.

"Y'all have a good night, now." Val bade them all.

"Thanks, Val—Wade, get that, huh honey?" Wade took the pizza as Holly gave Val a happy smile and left with her boys.

As they were heading for the door Holly recognized Emma, Luna Garza's little girl, but not the older woman that was with her who had both just walked in.

"Hey Emma!"

"Hi Holly—is Sam here?" Emma looked scared.

"He sure is honey—he's in back having a meeting—I'm just getting ready to go, but I can have someone get him for you...are you alright, honey?"

"Hi, I'm Emma's grandmother, my name is Martha—we really need to see Sam right away."

Martha was calm and cool but she looked like one real tough cookie. For and old biker chick she was actually kind of pretty and in great shape and Holly was struck by her commanding reserve. "Let me go get him for you, then. Boys, go on to the car—I'll be right out..."


	100. Lifeline

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 100 Lifeline

When Nora arrived at the Authority's new headquarters she was surprised to see Claudette in the main hall sitting next to Eric at the roundtable with the Chancellor and the other Delegates.

"Let the record indicate that this meeting of the Authority has now officially commenced. Let the roll call now include Delegate Gainsborough. Thank you, Nora, for being so quick," Chancellor Manners greeted her, "did it go well with our Friend of the Authority, Shapeshifter, Sam Merlotte?"

"I am happy to report to you all that it went excellently—Mr. Merlotte asked me to tell you that he greatly appreciates our offer of security and that he is more than happy to offer his business as a social venue of safe haven for all species, supernatural and human."

"Duly noted and entered into the official record of this meeting. Please have a seat. Before we begin with our scheduled agenda we would like to recognize the presence of Claudette Crane of Faery, here at the request and on the behalf of Queen Mab of Faery," Manners continued. Miss Crane, you have the floor."

"Thank you, Chancellor Manners. As stated, I am here on behalf of my Queen, Mab of Faery, regarding the issue of the recent demise of Octavian Valerius, his work with Louis Pasteur and also the disposition of Friend of the Authority, Fae/Human hybrid, Sookie Stackhouse."

Seated next to Nora, Eric was a bit baffled. "How does she know the protocol?" he asked her as quietly as possible from the side of his mouth.

"It will be explained shortly, be still, brother," Nora cautioned him.

"Please state your issues concerning the late Octavian Valerius."

"Although Queen Mab was aware that Valerius was never the true head of the Authority, she was aware of his latest work with Louis Pasteur and their experiments synthesizing Fae blood as an additive for the use with Tru Blood. The Queen knows that they were successful. She was promised by Valerius that all documentation was destroyed and that further pursuits in that endeavor would cease. It is not the intent of the Queen to ever participate in such experiments or cooperate in providing such an alternative to vampires at the expense of her people, full Fae or hybrid—ever. She would like assurance from you, the reinstated and One True Authority, that you will not seek out such a solution or ask her to cooperate in said endeavor, now or in the future. As further argument against such an endeavor she would like to respectfully remind the Authority of the case of Lilith."

Eric noted that all of Delegates, though stone-faced, were affected by name of 'Lilith' being uttered by Claudette. He kept quiet and continued to observe closely.

"Let the official record show that, on this night, assurance is granted to Queen Mab of Faery through her representative, Claudette Crane of Faery, that the Authority does hereby reject, renounce, and solidly prohibit any endeavor to pursue the use, experimentation or implementation thereof of Fae blood as an additive for use in conjunction with the production of Tru Blood, now and forever; be it further proclaimed that any vampire engaging in such activity will be subject to the immediate rendering of the True Death. Please prepare a scroll stamped with the Authority Seal to present to Claudette Crane for delivery to her Queen, Mab of Faery, as a testament to this edict," Manners spoke into the intercom on the table before him.

"A most gracious thank you, Chancellor Manners," Claudette bowed her head at him. He bowed his head at her in return.

"Please state your issues concerning the disposition of Friend of the Authority, Fae/Human hybrid, Sookie Stackhouse."

"Queen Mab has been aware of the relationship between Eric Northman, now King Eric Northman of Louisiana, for quite some time. She is also aware that King Northman endeavors to make Miss Stackhouse his Consort. While she has no particular objection to the union, She would like assurance from you, the reinstated and One True Authority, that said Fae/Human hybrid, Sookie Stackhouse, will never be made vampire. As further argument against such an endeavor she would like to respectfully remind the Authority of the case of Lilith."

It was all becoming painfully clear to Eric then what the true ramifications of Sookie's blood were. He tried hard to check his anger and remain in control of it.

"Let the official record show that, on this night, assurance is granted to Queen Mab of Faery through her representative, Claudette Crane of Faery, that the Authority does hereby prohibit and outlaw the making of Fae/Human hybrid, Sookie Stackhouse, or any other like her—now or ever—vampire; the Authority does hereby prohibit and outlaw the making of any person of full Fae heritage—now or ever—vampire. Please prepare a scroll stamped with the Authority Seal to present to Claudette Crane for delivery to her Queen, Mab of Faery, as a testament to this edict." Again, Manners spoke into the intercom on the table before him.

"Thank you, Chancellor Manners, and to all of the esteemed Delegates here this night, for your time, consideration and assurances. I thank you on behalf of my Queen and my kind. I respectfully submit that this concludes my business with you."

"Miss Crane, please wait a moment, your documents are being brought in momentarily."

Seconds later a young vampire messenger entered the chamber and handed the documents to Claudette then left quickly.

"Let the official record show that this portion of our meeting is concluded. Please note further that Claudette Crane has been presented two official documents stamped with the Authority Seal and is dismissed from chambers," Manners concluded.

Claudette rose from the table, gave them all a gracious bow and disappeared in a flash of blinding light. She had not looked at Eric before she left as she had agreed to wait until his business was concluded before she left for Faery with Sookie.

"The regular meeting of the Authority will now commence. Chancellor Manners presiding, all delegates present in attendance. Also in attendance, King Eric Northman of Louisiana. First order of business to be presented by Jhoro Daar, Delegate. Delegate Daar, you have the floor."

"We must call a meeting of the all the Continental Monarchs. We need reports as to whether or not this tide of vigilantism has spread to other states, and if so, to what extent. I volunteer to plan and chair said meeting on behalf of the Authority with the aid of another volunteer with a view towards holding said meeting this Monday evening coming."

"Thank you, Delegate Daar. All of those in favor of a meeting with Continental Monarchs say 'aye'."

All of the delegates approved the motion.

"All opposed. Let the record show that the motion is carried unanimously. Who would like to volunteer to aid Delegate Daar?" Manners canvassed the table.

"I do," said Delegate Jake Hutchence.

"Very good. A meeting will be set for Monday coming with the Continental Monarchs headed by Delegates Daar and Hutchence. Next order of business to be presented by Delegate Borys Olesky. Delegate Olesky, you have the floor."

"A meeting with James Dowling, Secretary of Vampire Affairs in the president's cabinet, needs to be set, as well. I've had some angry calls from his office and after King Northman conferences with Sam Merlotte and the local human authorities in Bon Temps, Louisiana, Secretary Dowling needs to be briefed. I volunteer for the briefing, to be arranged immediately pending the outcome of King Northman's conference."

"Thank you, Delegate Olesky. All of those in favor of a meeting with Secretary Dowling say 'aye'."

All of the delegates approved the motion.

"All opposed. Let the record show that the motion is carried unanimously. Briefing of Secretary Dowling to held with Delegate Olesky pending King Northman's conference with Sam Merlotte and the local human authorities from Bon Temps, Louisiana. Is there any other business to be recognized this evening?" Manners asks.

"Yes, Chancellor..."

"Delegate Reika Wakamatsu is recognized. You have the floor."

"I have had word from Vitaly Makarov on behalf of Magister Andrej Kuznetsov in Minsk that Sabeen Zaya and Antanas Valinsky have shut down the Landstuhl operation and secured Louis Pasteur for transport here to the U. S. for de-briefing. I volunteer to head that de-briefing with the help of another volunteer."

"Thank you, Delegate Wakamatsu. When is their arrival anticipated?"

"Sometime within the next forty-eight hours, Chancellor."

"Very well. All of those in favor of Pasteur's de-briefing upon arrival to the U. S. say 'aye'."

All of the delegates approved the motion.

"All opposed. Let the record show that the motion is carried unanimously. Who volunteers to assist?"

"I do."

"Delegate Carlyle Stiobard is recognized—thank you, Delegate Stiobard. De-briefing of Louis Pasteur to be conducted by Delegates Wakamatsu and Stiobard upon his arrival here to the U. S., meeting time and date to be disclosed within the next forty-eight hours. Is there any other business to be addressed at this time?"

None of the delegates speak further.

"Let the record show that there are no other matters to be brought to the floor at this time. This concludes our meeting."

Unable to restrain himself any longer Eric rises in anger from his seat as he slams his fist down on the table.

"Why was I never told? Why have we never heard of Lilith?" he demanded of them all.

"Brother, please, you are out of line," Nora warned him.

"Lilith was a fairy, wasn't she? WASN'T SHE? Who made her vampire? When did this happen and why weren't we ever properly cautioned? Had I known—had I known I would have NEVER had Sookie Stackhouse come anywhere near Russel Edgington! I would have staked Queen Sophie-Anne myself, upon punishment of the True Death! I would never have asked Sookie to be vampire—I know you must all know that I made that offer to her—you know everything else. WHO WAS LILITH?"

"Eric, I understand your anger and upset. Knowledge, as they say, is power. In the wrong hands it means annihilism," Ridley Manners told him quite definitely.

"We should have been told, Bill and I!"

"Sit down, Eric and let us tell you how it used to be," Ridley Manners told him calmly.

Eric sat back down in his chair.

"Eric," Ridley began delicately, "there has never been a time on this Earth when supernaturals did not co-exist. The Fae were the most vulnerable of all and at one point in our history a treaty was struck between us and them. In those days the 'Authority' were a group of elder vampires simply known as 'The Guardians' and as a measure of good faith between our races a Fae woman was appointed as a representative of her people as a testament to the truce. Her name was Lilith and even then she was ancient. We're talking about a time before Antiquity, Eric, Time Immemorial.

"She did not reside with the vampire Guardians, but meetings were held often which required her attendance, of course. She was guarded as much as was possible for someone so tantalizing and tempting and of course the day came when she was betrayed and attacked. Almost drained dry. Her blood was ancient and therefore, very powerful. To save her life she was made vampire. The one who partook of her went on a rampage. Emboldened by his treachery and orgiastic delight other vampires gladly broke the truce and wiped out almost all of the Fae on Earth in a drunken spree of epic proportions. The rampage spilled over into the human population and end times did indeed seem very near. Lilith herself became quite unstable and walked into sun days after she was made, unable to handle the blood lust that made her want to cannibalize her own people. The only thing that helped quell the violence was the fact that those vampires who had taken her blood had become daywalkers, and mistakenly thought that it was a permanent condition. Again, her blood was powerful—powerful enough that the the effects lasted onwards of two months. Suddenly the effect wore off and the worst offenders—the first offenders—died in the burning rays of the sun.

"There were rumors that someone had saved some of her blood in a vial; other rumors that it was actually the blood of the first vampire who had drained her. All wanted to believe in its existence, its power; to believe that daywalking could become a reality because it had been done and they had seen it with their own eyes. There are some, to this very day, who have not given up that hope; have not given up the search for that vial of 'The Blood of Lilith'. These are the most disgruntled amongst us, Eric, not content to be blessed with the Dark Gift; not content with living their immortal lives confined and shackled to the night. Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq was most definitely one of these. And so too, Russell Edgington. Her obsession and then discovery of Sookie Stackhouse was a cocktail made in hell that was destined to bring them both together.

"When we sent Nan to you to dispatch him your only mistake was that you did not. When Nora found out that Godric was the reason for your mercy upon Russell she beseeched us not to punish you; she brought it to our attention that, despite your personal differences with each other, you and Bill Compton handled your dealings with the hybrid woman quite responsibly; because you were both, indeed, content to be creatures of the night, as you were created to be. It's what saved you both from the True Death, even before the hybrid and the shape shifter vanquished Russell Edgington. The only thing that saved you. Nora intervened again when you drained Claudine—you were under the spell of a witch and we forgave you accordingly. And then, of course, came Octavian Valerius.

"Should we have told you the story of Lilith? Probably. You and Compton could have handled it. But as long as fairies exist on Earth it is a dangerous story to tell, Eric. It is more than a story, more than a myth—it is a truth, a very dangerous one. Had we known at the outset what we came to find out about you and Bill Compton we certainly would have. But hindsight is twenty-twenty, is it not?

"You still have our support, Eric, we would not have made you King otherwise. You know fully now what the consequence of Sookie Stackhouse represents to you; we certainly understand Queen Mab's anxieties and fears. But no one is prohibiting your relationship and that's due in large part to the admirable vampire that you are. So, please don't be angry with us. It is the larger picture that was our concern, and it still is. Every vampire cannot be trusted with the story of Lilith and it must NEVER be common knowledge. Do you understand now?" Ridley Manners asked him then as he stood up from his chair.

"Yes, Chancellor, I understand much better. Please forgive my ungracious outburst," Eric was before him in seconds, kneeling in forgiveness.

"Very good, then. Go to her, inasmuch as you are able—we know of her situation at the present time. Go and see her off and know that she will be in good hands. It our wish that she is returned to you, whole and in good health. Until then, rule your kingdom and make us proud, Eric; continue to help us make mainstreaming the success we know that it can be."

"I will."

Nora joined him then.

"Come brother..." she held out her hand to him and he took it, as surely as if it were a lifeline. And then they were gone.


	101. Say A Little Prayer

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 101 Say A Little Prayer

Holly knocked on Sam's office door but didn't wait for an answer before she spoke.

"Sam, I'm real sorry to interrupt, but Emma is here with her grandmother, Martha—they need to see you," she said loudly.

Sam came to the door immediately. "Hey, Holly, everything okay?"

"Well, I really don't know, I was just on my way out when they came in and asked for you—it seems really serious, whatever it is...I told them you were in a meeting, but it looks kinda urgent," she said then, her tone a lot softer.

"Okay, well thanks, darlin'. Chow...Ginger—would you please excuse me for a moment?"

"Certainly, Sam," said Chow. He left with Holly to go meet them, a worried look on his face.

"Hey, y'all—here he is...good night, now," Holly said as she scooted past. Martha grabbed her hand before she could get away.

"Thank you so much—I really appreciate it," Martha told Holly sincerely. Holly was truly touched and immediately worried even more for them. She took hold of Martha's hand and gave it a reassuring pat.

"Why, you're welcomed. And if anybody can help with whatever it is you need, well, Sam is your man."

Martha nodded at her as she let her hand go. Holly left them to it.

"Martha, honey? Emma? What is it? What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you about Luna, Sam. You know what's going on with our little Emma here, don't you?"

Sam looked at Emma and gave her a smile; he knelt down and gave her a reassuring hug. "Hey, darlin' you doin' alright?"

"I'm fine, Sam, but I'm worried about mommy. She's angry all the time...she won't let my grandma come to see us at home—I think she's mad at me," Emma's voice faltered as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart," Sam hugged her to him and gave a sympathetic look up at Martha. "She couldn't possibly be mad at you, darlin'."

"Emma ran away and came to me, Sam—and you know what a danger that is now..."

"Yes, I know."

"I'm between a rock and a hard place, Sam. I want to keep Emma with me but I know I got know right to do that. But Luna just hasn't been herself lately and she refuses to let me help. I'm going to take Emma back home, that's not even a question. But I just can't help but feel like when I take her back this time...I may never see her again." Martha's tone was stoic but her eyes were full of pain.

"Well, I'm real sorry about that, Martha, but Luna's pretty pissed off at me too, you know—what in the world can I do?"

"She's pissed but she will listen to you, Sam. All I need you to help me with is to convince her that I would never do anything to put Emma or her in harm's way. They're the only kin I got left and whether she likes it or not she needs my help. Especially now. At least until the anti-supernaturals are caught."

"Well, I agree, but the last time I made a case for you, Martha, she kicked me out of her house," Sam reminded her.

"Please Sam? Just try one more time? Please? Will you please come with us when grandma takes me home and try again?" Emma begged him. There was no way Sam could say no to either one of them even though he feared Luna's wrath more than the thousand other dangers lurking out there in the night.

"Look, I'm a meeting right now working on that very issue—you two have a seat and when I'm done here I'll go with you."

"Oh Sam, thank you so much—I know it feels like a long shot, but I really appreciate you doing this," Martha said after she gave a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Sam." Emma let him go reluctantly.

"Look, y'all had dinner? You hungry?"

Emma nodded yes.

"I haven't had an appetite in days, but thank you, anyway," Martha told him.

"Okay, well, we're closing early tonight, but I've got a pizza back here with your name on it, Emma. I'll have Val bring it out to you." He smiled at her and then motioned to Val who had been taking a load off of her feet over at the bar.

"What can I get, Sam?" Val asked him and then smiled at the two customers as she approached.

"We got one more of Terry's pizzas back there—fire it up and bring it to these two lovely ladies would you? On the house. And you can knock off after that, sweetheart, okay? I'll take care of the rest."

"Yes sir, thanks!—coming right up, ladies."

"And you..." he tweaked Emma's nose, "you take your time, huh?"

"Okay, I will."

"Good girl—come on and have a seat right over here," he led them both to a booth. "Martha, I'm waiting on Eric Northman...he ought to be here..."

"Right now," came an authoritative voice through a whoosh of air coming from the direction of the front entrance. Eric strode over to Sam and Martha displaying no discernible emotion on his face. "Good evening, Sam. Hello, ma'am," he greeted Martha with a bow of his head.

"Hello, Mr. Northman," she greeted him simply and then sat down with Emma.

"Eric? Everything okay?" Sam asked him in earnest under his breath. "Is she..."

"Let's talk in your office. After you."

When they got to Sam's office Ginger and Chow both rose to standing.

"Eric, are you alright?" Ginger ventured delicately. Her look of concern was mirrored on Chow's face, as well.

"Everybody, sit. I'm fine. She's gone. I saw nothing except a flash of light. If you want real details you'll have to ask Nora or Jessica. Sam, we've got delegates scheduled to meet with the President's Secretary of Vampire Affairs and the Continental Monarchs, all within the next forty-eight hours—I need positive intel—what have you learned about the vigilantes?" Eric asked, anxious to concentrate on something other than that which was breaking his cold, dead heart.

"Long story short, Eric, I've had some regulars in here of late who've been pretty vocal about their prejudices against supernaturals—I had to kick 'em out of here for good one particular night for assaulting one of my supernatural patrons one time too many. One of them worked at this place called the Stake House—an ammo store specializing in..."

"I get it," Eric said dryly as he gave Sam an impatient look.

"Sheriff Jones and I went there—we've got a lead. We're looking for someone called 'The Dragon'—whoever that is, they're running the show."

"Good work, Sam. Chow...Ginger—offer Sheriff Jones and our friend Sam here any help that you can. I'll need to pay a quick visit to Chancellor Manners...Ginger?"

"Yes, Eric?"

"Dr. Pasteur is going to be de-briefed at your house..."

"_Your_ house, Eric," she corrected him with a smile.

"Why not Authority headquarters, Eric?" Chow asked him.

"Just being cautious—we don't want to take any chances on the location of the new facility being leaked to whoever may be helping to harbor Benjamin Pope now."

"Understood."

"Ginger, make the necessary preparations for the de-briefing and arrange for Dr. Ludwig to be present."

"Done, Eric."

"Alright, I think that does it for tonight, on this matter, anyway. Chow, I'll meet you back at Fangtasia later."

Chow bowed his head.

"Sam," Eric gave him a nod and then disappeared from them all.

"Alright, Sam. Thanks for everything—we'll be in touch," Ginger assured him with a pat on his arm and then she and Chow dismissed themselves, as well.

Sam went to the dining room then to meet his two charges.

"Ladies, I'm ready when you are..."

* * *

><p>Back at Sookie's house the mood was somber. Nora and Jessica had departed for Eric's house immediately after Claudette took Sookie away, both saddened yet hopeful that Sookie's time in Faery would truly bring about the healing she desperately needed. Miss Maxine and Lettie Mae had gone home, as well, tears streaming down their faces and both worried for Jason.<p>

"I'll be fine. The kids and I will spend the night here. Y'all get on, now—I'm hoping the worst is over, at least for Sookie. Go on now...and thank you both for everything—you just don't know what all you mean to me," he said to them as he gave them each a kiss on the cheek and then walked them out to their cars.

"How are you holding up, Alcide?" asked Ruby Jean softly of the tall werewolf sitting dejectedly on the couch. He looked up to see her kind eyes peering at him and held back the impulse to cry; Ruby Jean sat beside him and took him into her capable embrace where he lost himself in the comfort of her and did exactly that.

Upstairs, Becky and Timbo were in Sookie's room watching over the babies as they lay sleeping in Sookie's bed.

"Timbo?" said Becky quietly from her spot at the foot of the bed where she sat stroking Buster's soft coat.

"Yeah?"

"I seen Crystal..."

"What?" Timbo jumped up from the chair next to the bed and joined her on the floor. "You told Jason yet? Where was she? She talk to you? What does she want?"

"I only saw her standing in the woods, off from the house," she said, real fear in her voice. "She didn't come up to me or nothin'...been so much goin' on—I ain't said nothing to Jason yet..."

"When?"

"Two nights ago."

"You seen her since?"

"No."

"We gotta tell him, Becky...we gotta tell him right away..."

"I know. What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know what the hell she wants, but she better leave us all alone," Timbo said then, displaying a ferocity that Becky had never witnessed in him before.

* * *

><p>At Kalvaryja, Vitaly Makarov was receiving the first of many faxed communiques coming in from Shreveport. One in particular tugged gently at his heart and he said a little prayer for the brave little woman he didn't even know and for all those he would be seeing soon who did.<p> 


	102. Destiny Begins Where A Scream Should Hav

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 102 Destiny Begins Where A Scream Should Have Been

"Comrades! It is so good to see you all again!" said Andrej Kuznetsov as he greeted his contingent from America. Beside him Vitaly Makarov smiled his happy agreement. " Bill...Tara—you know the drill—please all of you, join me in the conference room," he gestured ahead of himself as Vitaly led the way.

As Bill, Tara, Sabeen, Antanas, Shashen'Ka, Victor, Sarah and Trey took their seats at the roundtable, Vitaly passed out folders bearing their names to each of them then took his customary seat in the corner to take the minutes of their meeting.

"Let me first welcome our two new additions to the fold: Sarah Newlin and Trey Horne. My condolences to you both on the passing of your Maker, Nan Flanagan," he offered sincerely. Sarah and Trey both nodded their thanks at him. "On a brighter note, Sarah, I look forward to working with you—when I'm done with you you'll be ready to assume your position as the new AVL spokesperson in the manner I know would have made Nan a very proud Maker, indeed—even prouder than she already was.

"This meeting will be a short one. Each of you has a folder before you containing information, that for most of you, may require immediate attention before you go to ground. Please take a moment to open them up and kindly let me know if there is any assistance I need to render to you before our proper meeting this evening." Andrej waited while each vampire perused their files.

Bill and Tara's folders had very sketchy intel on Benjamin Pope; Sabeen and Antanas had their orders to deploy to Landstuhl and collect Dr. Pasteur then head back to Shreveport; Sarah and Trey's folders contained their respective training agendas with Andrej and Shashen'Ka; Shashen'Ka and Victor's folders brought them up to speed on business-related matters at Tabah Tosti. All of them had the latest missive from Shreveport regarding the departure of Sookie Stackhouse to Faery as reported by Nora Gainesborough and Jessica Hamby.

"Thank you, Andrej, I should make a few phone calls before I go to ground," said Shashen'Ka as she and Victor rose from the table. "Good morning all." She gave a particularly sympathetic nod to Tara and received a nod of thanks from her in return before she and Victor left them all.

Sarah and Trey were the next to go as the approaching dawn was making their limbs heavy with the need to give in to the Little Death. They said their good morning to all and followed Vitaly, who led the four of them away to their cubbies.

The others all rose from the table then as Sabeen and Antanas approached Bill and Tara.

"You know how we feel," Sabeen smiled warmly at them both as she took from each of them a hand into her own. "Our Sookie will triumph in the end, as she always does. She has the love of the Universe wrapped about her as well as our own. If anyone can help her, Queen Mab surely can—and will. In the meantime, we shall say our goodbyes now—we're on our way to collect Dr. Pasteur, tear down the facility and return to Shreveport. We'll see you both again soon." She gave them each a kiss to the cheek.

"Thank you, Sabeen," said Tara through a hopeful smile.

"Stay strong, young ones," Antanas said simply to them all. With that they were gone.

"Well, Bill...Tara...I shall say good morning if you require nothing further from me," Andrej smiled at them. "Bill, you remember where your cubby is from before?"

"Yes, thank you, Andrej."

"Very good." Andrej left them.

"Well, here we are," Tara sighed.

"Yes." Bill took Tara into his embrace and rested his chin delicately atop her head. Neither one of them could find the words to express all they felt about Sookie's situation.

"Benjamin Pope it is, then," she spoke into his chest.

"Yes..." Bill stroked her hair gently, "Benjamin Pope," he murmured the name back at her before he led her away.

* * *

><p>"What? What?" Jason asked the frightened girl in disgust and disbelief.<p>

Everyone had left except for Miss Ruby Jean who was upstairs with the babies. It was then that Becky and Timbo told Jason about Crystal.

"I'm sorry, Jason, I know I should have told you sooner, please don't be mad at me," Becky pleaded through trembling lips and fresh tears.

"Aww, Becky..." he brought the upset girl into a hug. "I'm not mad at you, girl," he said a lot calmer. "I know it's been a helluva a lot on our plates, but these are the kind of things you're supposed to tell me right away. If she had hurt you in any way...I can't even think straight tryin' to imagine it," he gave her a tight squeeze then held her at arm's length. "This is the kind of thing you have to let me know about, Becky, no matter what's going on...understand?" he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"Alright then. Here, let's dry those up," he said as he took a fresh handkerchief from his pocket and dried her tears. "Now, you ain't holding back—she didn't approach you? Try to hurt you in any way?"

"No, she didn't. She was just standing off in the woods...watching. It was creepier than if she had come up to me."

"Yeah, I get that."

"What do you think she wants, Jason?" Timbo ventured.

"I don't know, Timbo, but I damn sure intend to find out," he replied angrily.

"Well, uh...what are you gonna do?" Timbo asked him, his voice full of alarm as he watched Jason grab a jacket from the coat rack and his car keys. "Wh...where are you going? Jason?"

"I'm going to find out," he said as he headed for the door.

"Let me go with you, Jason."

Jason stopped in his tracks and turned to face the boy. What he saw in his face was a lack of fear and definite purpose and it made Jason proud. "I appreciate that, Timbo, but I'm not afraid, either. I'm tired of shit and always feeling like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm not gonna wait on her; I'm not gonna sit around wonderin' when she might decide to show up again—as far as I'm concerned her showing up like that was a fucking calling card and I ain't afraid to go to Hotshot or of anybody there. I'm gonna nip this shit in the bud—right the fuck now. But what I need you to do is stay here—you're the man of the house while I'm away and I need you to protect our family while I'm gone, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll be back. I love you both. Tell Miss Ruby Jean where I went and I'll see you both soon." Jason gave them both a defiant but reassuring smile and marched out of the door to his truck.

"Shit...shit!" Timbo cried out in despair. He headed for the door.

"He said for you to stay here, Timbo," Becky cried out desperately. Timbo kicked the door in pure frustration.

"Young _man_," came a calm voice from behind him. Timbo turned and faced the commanding voice coming from the stairs. It was Ruby Jean. "He knows what he's doing, Timbo. And he's coming back," she told him firmly. She came down the stairs and then held out her arms to them both; as if they were under her spell, they found themselves helpless to resist her embrace.

* * *

><p>When Jason found himself parked in front of the familiar dilapidated little shacks he felt as if he had been magicked to Hotshot; he didn't remember the drive, or any of his thoughts as his truck sliced through that late Mid-May night; he hadn't felt the breeze in his hair from his rolled-down window or smelled the sweet scent of the magnolia trees that always reminded him of the mini road trips he and Sookie used to take with their parents. He was full of rage; a rage that had dulled all of his senses. All he knew was that he was at Sookie's house and then he was in Hotshot. He got out of his truck and slammed his door loudly.<p>

"Crystal! Crystal Norris! I'm here, Goddammit! Crystal!" he yelled out to the darkness angrily. He could hear movement all around him but saw nothing; knew he was being watched but was totally unfazed. Suddenly she appeared out the darkness. She looked more beautiful than he remembered, standing there in her simple white sun dress. But he knew she was the Devil; the Devil in the form of an angel.

"Jason," she smiled at him. "I knew you would come."

"Of course you fuckin' did. How dare you! Sneakin' around my house, trying to scare the kids—how dare you!" he railed at her.

"I wasn't tryin' to scare nobody, Jason. I just wanted to see you."

"You evil bitch! You evil, evil bitch!" he spat the words at her.

"I deserve that, Jason, I know it," she said calmly, still smiling at him. "I can explain everything...if you'll just calm down a minute and let me."

"You're crazy. And what's to explain, anyway? Y'all tied me down and held me hostage—raped me...YOU RAPED ME!" he exploded at her as he rushed her and then stopped himself, just inches from her body. All Jason could see was his hands, wrapped around her neck and choking the life out of her; it took everything that he had inside of himself, all of his self-control to keep it from becoming a reality. Crystal could feel his anguish and rage tangibly and still didn't even flinch.

"It was wrong, Jason...so wrong. And I know that to say that I'm sorry don't even begin to make up for it...I know that. But I am so, so very sorry. Please believe me."

"I can't believe you, not at all, Crystal...not ever again. You stay away from us, you hear me?" his voice was low and threatening. "Becky and Timbo got a chance at a real life; and them babies? The ones you threw out like so much dirty dishwater? You stay the fuck away from them, too. You come around us ever again and I won't be responsible for what I do, do you hear me?"

"Jason, you have to hear me out," her voice was pleading.

"I said all I have to say, Crystal, and I don't need to hear shit else from you." With that Jason turned to go.

"I was pregnant with one of your babies, too!" she called out after him in desperation. Jason wheeled back around to find Crystal's face buried in her hands and crying violently.

"You're a damn liar," he accused her unmercifully. Crystal sank into the dirt on her knees.

"I'm not lying, Jason—I would never lie about that. I lost our baby—I miscarried. That's why I sent Timbo and Becky away with the the other two—I was jealous! And angry...and heartbroken. I knew I would never have you, not after what happened, but I had a piece of you. And I would have loved that baby so...I would have loved him..."

"It was a boy?"

"Yes. I named him. And buried him. And then I sent the others away with Timbo and Becky. It was wrong of me to do, but I know they're better off with you."

"What about their mothers, Crystal? How could they just..."

"They didn't. I didn't give them no choice. The little boy's momma...she killed herself. The little girl's mother ran off but she got cornered in her panther form and got shot by one them Obamas. Their blood is on my hands, Jason. I'm an outcast, now. My own kind won't have nothing to do with me now. They all left here and went somewhere else."

"You're lying...I heard movement out here, felt someone watching me..."

"Just your imagination, Jason. Ain't nobody here now but me," she said dejectedly.

"Really?" he asked her harshly, still unconvinced. "They just all up and left you."

"Yes."

"It can't be safe for you out here all alone. I can't believe they just left you here."

Crystal was struck by his natural concern for her, even if it was only momentary. But that was one of the reasons she loved him so much, still, and why she thought she might have a chance in hell of getting through to him. "It don't matter no more. I was crazy with power, Jason—I had the power! I was Ghost Mama! I abused that power and they all left me. I could have been forgiven all of it had my baby lived, but when he died? It was an omen to them—a sign that I wasn't the one. They stayed for a while, but when I sent the other babies away and they're momma's died...they left me. And make no mistake, Jason, those babies are gonna turn one day. I lied and said they were half-breeds. They ain't half-breeds."

"I don't care. They're mine and I love them. I'd love them if they weren't."

"I know that. I can tell by the way you are with Timbo and Becky. You're a good man, Jason Stackhouse. You may curse the day you ever met me, but I bless the day I met you."

Jason was temporarily speechless.

"I'm barren now, Jason. I can't have no more babies. I been tryin' but it don't never take. I'm done with all of that now. The tribe has been tryin' too, Jason, and they've been a lot more successful than me—you check your missing persons reports."

"What?"

"I have knowledge now—me and Felton did you all wrong. But even though we fucked it up we almost turned you."

"What? I thought it didn't work cuz you have to be born that way," he said as he began to back away from her in horror.

"Not with us. Werepanthers can be born...or bitten...we just didn't know how to do it right. We _all_ got it right. Now..." she said as she advanced upon him slowly. "Of course, born panthers totally look down their noses at bitten panthers. I think that's so stupid. Bitten panthers is the only way we's ever coming back. And we're coming back, Jason, slowly but surely."

"What are you saying?"

"You think you need help now. When those babies turn, you gonna need some real help. And I'm the only one that can do that. You and me Jason. We share a destiny together. This is how it was supposed to be," she told him softly.

"No, you're wrong about that..."

Crystal was upon him then, nuzzling into his chest and reveling in the smell of him.

"Get off of me, you crazy bitch." Jason struggled to push her off of him and was surprised at her strength and how she easily over-powered him.

"You came here, Jason. I called and you came. You came here because you wanted to—you want me."

"I do not," he countered, totally repulsed by her and her intent.

"I have the knowledge now..."

Jason looked upon her angelic face with sheer terror in his eyes, his heart in his throat where a scream should have been.

"It's you and me," she whispered at him as she held him in her powerful embrace. And then she bit him.


	103. Another Plane

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 103 Another Plane

"_Where am I? Am I back in Faery?"_

"_Your body is in Faery, Sookie, but your mind—is on another plane."_

"_Like an out-of-body-experience?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I couldn't have done this back home?"_

"_Not under the scrutiny of human doctors and the influence of their 'modern' medicine, no. Do you recognize me?"_

"_Queen Mab. As you really are."_

"_Yes, as I really am."_

"_Thank you for taking me back...for trying to help."_

"_Trying?"_

"_Is there help for me?"_

"_Of course there is. You've been through a great deal of shock, Sookie; you simply need to be allowed the time to rejuvenate your spirit. You can do that here."_

"_I thought I was stronger than this."_

"_You are strong."_

"_But not enough."_

"_Don't look at it as not being strong enough."_

"_Well, then how should I look at it?"_

"_As simply needing some reinforcement; when your weapons run low what do you do?"_

"_Reload, if you're lucky enough to have the extra ammo."_

"_And here you are. Reloading. And luck has nothing to do with it."_

"_I have questions."_

"_Of course you do."_

"_There's been a dark presence in my life...in my head—in my dreams—more than just my anger and rage over what was done to me in New Orleans; it's a man—no, he's more like a demon...all I feel is his malevolence; he's escaped my dreams—I know that he's real. Queen Mab, who is Warlow?"_

"_I will tell you in time."_

"_No disrespect, but that's not what I wanted to hear."_

"_Of course it wasn't."_

"_I have to give him up, don't I?"_

"_Is that really so difficult?"_

"_Not if it means that it will keep him safe. I'm so tired of causing death and destruction."_

"_You know exactly what you're responsible for and for what you are not. I will not indulge your sorely misplaced self-pity here."_

"_I need to digest that."_

"_Take your time. This is the only place you will ever truly be able to do that, Sookie. Take advantage of it. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes."_

"_We'll talk again when you are ready for me."_

"_I understand."_

* * *

><p>"Queen Mab?" Claudette called to the sleeping woman softly.<p>

Claudette had been posted in the Queen's antechamber, checking on her two charges as they lay in their separate beds in the Queen's quarters. While the Queen was in her sleep state communing with Sookie only Claudette was allowed to tend to them.

"You are quite the impatient one, Claudette. I told you that I would summon you upon my waking," the Queen lightly chastised her as she sat up and stretched herself.

"Please forgive me, my Queen...is she..."

"Yes, finally she has made contact with me. Calm yourself—we are all on her time, now."

"Yes, my Queen," Claudette bowed before her and then set to work on Sookie. On a table next to Sookie's bed was a little purple velvet box that resembled a miniature egg carton. Claudette opened it up to reveal a collection of small, glowing crystal vials which contained Sookie's specially prepared hydration and nourishment elixir. She turned her head to one side and gently pushed her golden locks away from her neck, then took a vial full of the fluorescent liquid and placed four drops on Sookie's external carotid artery. As Claudette's hand came ablaze with her fairy light, she waved the palm of it just barely above Sookie's neck where the glowing liquid turned brighter then faded away as it absorbed into Sookie's body. "Alright then, next dose in three hours."

"You've been doing an excellent job here, Claudette. I shall sit with her now—take your leave and go rejuvenate yourself and when you return I shall go and do the same," the Queen suggested to her very firmly.

Claudette looked a question at her queen that she dared not to verbalize. Queen Mab looked pointedly at her then, which was more than enough to prompt a curtsey from Claudette and send her on her way without another word.

* * *

><p>Holly turned off of the road leading from Merlotte's and on to the main road leading to her trailer; in another fifteen minutes they would be home and she would be able to sink her weary bones into bed. Rocky sat quietly beside her, absorbed in his own thoughts as Wade rode shotgun in the back seat of their mom's truck, working on a second slice of pizza straight from the box.<p>

"Wade, close that box up and wait until we get home—other people would like to have some, too," she told him irritatedly as she looked menacingly at him in her rear view mirror.

"Aw, mom..." the boy groaned his complaint.

"Close it up...now," she barked at him angrily.

"Mom! Mom! Watch out! Fuck!" Rocky shouted at her as he grabbed the wheel to steer the truck straight instead of veering onto the shoulder and into a man standing next to his disabled car.

"Shit!" Holly cried out in a panic after she looked in her rear view mirror and saw that the man had disappeared. "Fuck! Did I hit him? Oh, Mother Goddess—did I hit him, Rocky?" Holly brought her truck to a screeching halt.

"I don't know! I don't know!" her son answered her desperately before he jumped out of the car and ran back to check for himself.

"Rocky! Come back—wait, dammit!" She threw the truck into reverse and headed back thirty feet to the disabled car and it's owner. She and Wade jumped out to find Rocky pulling the shaken man up from the ground.

"You alright, mister? Mister? You okay?" Rocky asked him then.

"I..I think so...I saw you coming and managed to jump out of the way in time..." he looked more than a little stunned and his crisp, deep voice, which had a very definite British accent, sounded the same.

"Sir, I am _so_ sorry..." Holly began remorsefully, "please let me help you—you need a ride somewhere? I promise I can get somebody out here to tow your car and I know a good mechanic and I'll take you anywhere you need a ride to if you just tell me that you're alright," she pleaded.

"Dang, mom—you almost killed this guy," said Wade then, sounding almost impressed.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Damn Obvious," she said disgustedly to her son. "Please don't mind him, sir," she said as she concentrated her attention back to the man. As she got a better look at him her eyes narrowed in recognition; she grabbed her two boys by their arms, pulling them along as she backed away from him in great fear. "But...but...you're dead..." she gasped at him.

"Excuse me? What?" the man asked her, more than befuddled.

"Mom, what the fuck? Mom?" Rocky yelled at her as he broke out of her grip. "Mom!"

* * *

><p>They all heard the screeching sound of his tires come to a halt in front of the house; Timbo was the first one out of the door.<p>

"What do you want?" he shouted at her defiantly as she sat at the wheel, looking at him through the open window with a strange, crazy grin on her face. Then he saw Jason slumped over in the passenger seat. "What did you do to him?"

Ruby Jean held a protective arm around Becky as they watched from the porch.

Crystal got out of the truck, went to Jason's side and easily lifted him from the seat, then carried him to where Timbo stood and stopped before him.

"You watch yourself, boy—I'm still your elder," she said, a warning in her voice. In her arms Jason moaned.

"Don't nobody give a fuck about that now, Crystal," Timbo shot back at her.

"Jason will, boy—he'll give a fuck," she hissed at him, " about that and a WHOLE lot more!" she yelled at him, as her body shook with rage. "He's one of us, now, Timbo—you got that? He's one of us."

Timbo backed away from her in disbelief. "No...no, Crystal—you didn't..."

"I did," she assured him in a near whisper.

"Sweet Jesus, no..."

"Sweet Jesus, my ass. Move out of my way so I can take him in the house..." she snapped at him as she pushed past him. When she got to the porch Becky shrank from her in fear; with her enhanced sense Becky had heard everything, including Crystal's quiet declaration. "You need to grow up, girl," Crystal snarled viciously at Becky, who had moved and stood cowering behind Ruby Jean.

"That's enough of that, now—you ain't markin' no territory here," said Ruby Jean to Crystal in rebuke.

"I got no quarrel with you, witch—just show me where to lay him down and I'll be on my way."

"Bring him in and put him on the couch," Ruby Jean ordered her, unfazed by her feral manner. "Timbo, come on, now," she called to the shocked boy; he ran from the truck and into the house.

Crystal laid Jason on the couch gently then knelt beside him and gave him sweet kiss to his fevered lips. She rose up to face the three condemning her with their eyes. She looked at each one of them directly, her own eyes full of contempt then settled her gaze on Timbo.

"Help him, Timbo; tell him what he needs to know. And then tell him I'll be waiting." With that she stripped out of her soiled sundress and transformed; she gave a low, menacing growl at them and then a triumphant roar. Timbo went to the screen door and held it open for her. The sleek black panther turned tail gracefully then ran through it and away into the dark night.

* * *

><p>"Just run! Rocky! Wade! Run!" screeched Holly as she tried to bolt for her truck, hampered by her unyielding sons.<p>

"Miss, please calm down...you must have me mistaken for someone else, because I am most assuredly alive," he called after her. "Miss? Please? I could really use that ride you so graciously offered—miss!" he ran toward her and reached for her arm. "Miss?"

"Don't you touch me!" she shrieked.

"Good Lord, who do you think I am?" he asked her frustratedly. Please, my name is..."

"Franklin Mott! Boys, run!"

Rocky and Wade just looked at their mother and thought she had lost her damn mind. They looked at the man then, who had a look on his face of sure enlightenment.

"Why aren't you running?" she said after she stopped and looked back at her sons, who were both standing stock still, looking embarrassed.

"Miss, please, I can explain, really..." he began as he took his wallet from his pant pocket and began to retrieve his ID. "Franklin Mott is my grand uncle—I'm here to find him, actually. My name is Nicholas...Nicholas Mott—you see?" he held out his ID for her and illuminated it with the light from the open screen of his cell phone.

"What?" asked Holly in utter disbelief. "Your...your uncle?"

"Yes! You see, there's a matter of his inheritance and some other legal issues...I...I couldn't possibly explain all of that to you except to say that I'm here to find out who I do need to talk to—we hired a private detective, you see, and his findings are what have led me here. I understand that my uncle is a bothersome fellow—I'm so sorry if I frightened you. I was on my way to the Bon Temps motel and then I suffered this dreadful flat, you see."

"And then I came by and almost killed you..."

"Really, I'm alright, please don't trouble yourself over that anymore," he begged her kindly.

Holly couldn't help but stare at the man who was a dead ringer for the crazy vampire that had abducted Tara all those months ago.

Rocky and Wade, who were now more than bored with the whole situation had turned from embarrassed to irritated and made no bones about showing how ready they were to get the hell home.

"Okay, I promised you a ride and I certainly owe you that. Would you mind if I just take my boys on home first?"

"Mom, you crazy?" Rocky shot at her. "No offense, mister, but mom, you don't know this man from Adam. We'll keep until you get us home. Matter of fact, I'm driving. C'mon, y'all," he said with a scowl on his face as he passed his mother, took the keys from her hand and headed to their truck. In that moment Holly's heart swelled; she obeyed her son as they all followed him,with a big, proud smile on her face.


	104. One Of Us

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 104 One Of Us

"You have a lot of nerve, Martha, keeping Emma out this late and against my wishes, in the first place," began Luna heatedly when she opened her door to her daughter and ex-mother-in-law.

"Luna, you know she ran away—I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Please don't be mad at us, mommy," Emma begged her mother as she hugged her waist tightly, desperately trying to sniffle her tears away. Luna peeled her daughters arms from around her.

"Oh no, Emma...not gonna work this time. But you know what? We're gonna call this last little fiasco a visit, but this _is not_ going to happen again, is it? IS IT?" Luna raised an angry voice at her daughter.

"No, ma'am," Emma flinched as she bowed her head, heavy tear drops falling from her eyes.

"Luna..." Martha dared to caution the younger woman.

"Martha, do not even remotely try to go there with me right now." Luna's tone was a very definite threat corroborated by the anger in her eyes and her jaw clenched tightly shut holding back even angrier words. "Emma, go wash up for bed."

"Can't I even say goodnight to her?" Martha asked then.

"Oh for Christ's sake," Luna sighed disgustedly. "Make it quick."

Emma ran back to the door to hug her grandmother then took hold of Sam's hand and pulled him towards them. "Sam, you promised..." the little girl looked at him with hurt, sad eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Oh...this is entirely too...really? Un-fucking-believable..." Luna rolled her eyes hard when she saw Sam walk through the door. She looked at the three of them, too undone to do anything other than order her daughter furiously away. "Emma—out of my sight. Now!" Emma ran fearfully to her room and shut the door behind her.

"How dare you...how dare both of you! Using my daughter..."

"We've done no such thing, Luna, and you know it," Sam cut her off angrily, "now shut up and let us in...Martha, get in here—we're all targets standing outside this fucking door," he said as he ushered Martha in and slammed the door behind him.

"Oh, no you did not just barge into my house..."

"Oh yes, I fucking did. Damn it, Luna, I'm sick of your fucked-up attitude. Emma ran away—from you! She went to her grandmother for HELP! With all the shit that's going on right now with these damn vigilantes, that girl took off and ran away...from YOU! She's scared, Luna—she's afraid of YOU! Not her grandmother...not me...not those fuckers out there in the night, running around shooting people like us down just for the fucking fun of it. And instead of thanking God that your daughter is home safe you're ripping us new ones because we give a damn?" Sam yelled furiously at her.

"You don't know anything, Sam! You don't know what I've been going through!" she railed at him.

"Nobody, does, Luna! Because you don't talk to anybody!"

"Well, I damn sure can't talk to you, now can I?" she shot back nastily.

"I'm still your friend, Luna," he said softly.

Luna let out a snort of disgust; that was the last thing she wanted to hear from him and she turned away from Sam and Martha to regain her composure; she took a deep breath before she turned to face them again. "Look, Sam, this is not about that," she began firmly.

"Then what is it about, Luna?" Martha asked her calmly then. "Are you that upset that Emma is a werewolf and not a shifter?"

"Martha, I know he was your son, but Marcus was horrible to me; when we got divorced all I wanted was to be done with him, the pack—everything. Regardless of how it went with Emma."

"Luna, I'm not my son. And neither is Alcide Herveaux. Now, Marcus did some things I didn't approve of but he was Pack Master and I honored that. But now he's gone; JD is out. And I have to honestly say that Alcide is the best Pack Master we've had since my late husband. Things are different from what you knew before. I love Emma with my whole heart and I'd sooner die than see a lick of harm come to her. You need help now more than ever, not just help with Emma but with protection. With Alcide and the pack's help you'll have that protection. We've always considered you one of us, don't you know that?"

"I don't want to be one of you! Don't you get it?" she yelled at the woman. Martha didn't flinch one muscle or let the hurt that Luna's words were causing her show one bit on her face.

"That may be, Luna. I propose a compromise: how about you be done with us all you want, even it means I that I never get to see Emma again, _after _these supernatural vigilantes are found and stopped? All I'm asking is for you and Emma to come stay with me where the pack can offer you both the utmost protection until that day comes."

"You've got to be kidding...leave my house?"

"You're both out here all alone, Luna. I know it's your life and that was fine before..."

"You're damn right it's my life," Luna began hotly.

"Luna, are you really listening to yourself?" Sam interjected then, amazed at her stubbornness.

"Sam, I'm warning you..." she told as she shot him a stern look.

"Luna," Martha stepped closer to the young woman, "you can order that little girl all you want to stay away from us but she has a natural need to be with us—it's why she keeps running back—it's beyond her own will. She's simply at a point in her life where you can't give her everything she needs—except your unconditional love," Martha began softly. "She's not feeling that right now," her tone turned harsh then as she looked Luna squarely in her eyes, "she thinks you're mad because she's a werewolf. Are you?" The look on Martha's face and tone in her quiet voice let Luna know that only the most honest answer would be tolerated.

Luna turned away from her then in shame, tears rolling down her face and over trembling lips. Sam's heart went out to her.

Martha stood up straighter where she stood, closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Luna, you haven't answered me and until you do I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. I hope you'll be ready to answer that question soon and come join us. Until then you can stay here if you want to, but Emma comes with me. Only until the vigilantes are caught and put down. The offer is still extended to you, regardless of how you may really feel. But if you honestly have a problem with your daughter being a werewolf then it would best for me to tell you right now—to promise you—that you'll never be able to keep me out of that child's life. Now, you go in there and tell your daughter whatever you need to. And then you send her out here to me with your blessing," Martha concluded firmly. Her stance and the look in her eyes told Luna in no uncertain terms that the issue was not up for any further debate.

Luna left the room without another word to go and retrieve Emma. Just then Sam's cell phone rang.

"Hello? Hey Alcide...I'm not far from you now—I'm at Luna's...yeah? Fuck! Yeah...okay, I'll wait for you...be careful, man...okay."

"What is it, Sam?"

"There's been a shooting in the area—a family of shifters were attacked at a house not far from here. Some passing wolves saw the whole thing and called Alcide—they're following them right now. He knows that you came here for Luna and Emma and he wants you to wait until he gets here before you head back."

"Alright. Sam, thank you for trying to help. I'll never forget this."

"Well, I didn't do much," he said sadly.

"She doesn't act like it, but your support means everything to her. And to me, too," Martha assured him.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Sam, you in there? It's Alcide," came the werewolf's urgent voice.

Sam opened the door quickly and let the naked man in.

"Martha..." he greeted her with a nod.

"Alcide."

"Look, Sam, when my pack brother's called me they were about to give chase—a truck-load full of assholes in Obama masks were speeding away from a house and headed for a back road."

"Was anybody hurt?" Sam asked.

"Thankfully, no...but I want to go check it out."

"I'll come with you."

"Martha, you all set here?" Alcide asked her.

"Emma's coming—I don't know yet about Luna."

Alcide gave an exasperated grunt. "Well, it goes without saying that you need to change into your wolf forms...and be careful you hear me?"

"I'll get us both in safe, Alcide, you can count on it," Martha smiled up at him.

"Alright," Alcide nodded to his buddy, "let's go, Sam..." he said as he opened the door; once outside he transformed and was joined by a grey wolf. Martha stood at the door and watched as Alcide and Sam disappeared into the woods then closed the door quietly.

Just then Luna came back into the living room with Emma and holding a packed bag.

"Where's Sam?" asked Emma.

"He and Alcide had somewhere they needed to go, honey." Martha looked at Luna and then darted her eyes to where Sam's clothes lay in a heap on the floor then back at her; Luna nodded her understanding. "There's been some trouble, Luna—nearby."

Luna nodded again at her. "Emma's all set to come stay with you, Martha."

The two women looked at each other; Martha's eyes, filled with hope, met Luna's, which doused it.

"Uh, honey, I'll bring this out to you tomorrow," Luna told her daughter as she took the bag and placed it on the floor.

"Mommy...please come with us?" Emma begged her mother.

"I'll be alright, baby. Mommy has to stay here..I have to go to work and make sure everything is okay here at the house—and you're going to have a great time with grandma, okay? I'll see you tomorrow, okay, baby?" Luna told her through a weak smile as she tried to hold back her tears. "You go on, now...it's really late and you need to get to bed."

"Emma, baby, you need to change so that we can run together—that's the safest way for us to get home right now, you understand?"

"Yes, grandma."

Luna gave her daughter a last hug and kiss. "Martha, please call me as soon..."

"You know that I will," she assured her.

Luna watched them transform and then opened the door for them; Emma looked up at her mother one last time and gave a little whimper before Martha gave her a commanding bark that set the pup to attention. Luna watched them run away into the night and began to cry. She closed the door and leaned her back upon it then sank to the floor in agony. After a time she had pulled herself together and noticed Sam's clothes only inches away from her; she picked up his shirt and smelled it, where she caught the scent of fading Tide detergent and Irish Spring; barbecue smoke from the restaurant and the earthiness of the lowland-grown agave in a drop of tequila that had spilled onto it; and of her sweet baby girl, Emma, which caused her salty tears to flow anew and be added to the mix as Luna buried her face in it.

* * *

><p>"Karate is a striking art..." Shashen'Ka began as she addressed her two newest and totally enrapt students, "involving punches..." she demonstrated a flawless punch which was almost vertical and slightly canted to the inside. "Notice the angle of my hand—this produces a more stable and powerful strike. Kicking..." she demonstrated a perfect roundhouse kick. "Knee and elbow strikes..." Victor joined her then as she demonstrated one of each to his abdomen. "Open hand..." she demonstrated a knife-hand strike. "Grappling..." she grabbed Victor by the head with one hand, under his armpit with the other then brought it down and grabbed the back of his knee and pulled the larger vampire easily down upon the floor. "Locks and restraints...Trey? Join me please?" she held out her hand to him and pulled him up off the floor.<p>

Bill and Tara stood in the doorway of the dojo and quietly watched Shashen'Ka in action as she began Sarah and Trey's martial arts training. They gave each other a knowing smile remembering their first introduction to her and the demonstration of her superior skills.

"Man, it seems like forever ago and yesterday, huh?" Tara whispered at him as they watched Shashen'Ka pin Trey into a wrist lock and lead him comically all about the floor. "Man, she's a fantastic Sensei—I could watch that over and over and never get tired of it. I can't wait to join them next week." In her hushed voice was pure joy and excitement.

"Yes, I too look forward to the learning the other seven kata. Would you like to sit in?" Bill motioned to the dojo with a nod of his head.

"No, let's let them have it," she said as she led him away. "As much as I'd love to I'd really like to get back to K-town tonight, see if we can get a lead on any other Ancients there. Now that Valerius is out of the picture maybe they'd be willing to talk."

"Maybe. You sure you are up to that already?"

"Now's as good a time as any. They need to know that we're on their side and not Benjamin Pope's. I'm so ready to knock his ass out of the picture," Tara said then, sounding very far away.

"Patience is a virtue, Tara. We will get him...and we have time—time to use to our advantage. Would you settle for a walk in the fresh night air?" he offered her his arm like the true Southern gentleman that he was.

"Why, yes I would," she smiled at him as she gave a small curtsey before she took his arm.

They had risen earlier and gone directly to their meeting with Andrej. Sarah and Trey had been disappointed to learn that Sabeen and Antanas were gone and already headed back for the America but excited to begin their training that evening. Bill and Tara were both looking froward to their respective check-in calls at three a.m. to Bon Temps and Shreveport and had the rest of the evening to do anything that they wished, be it get to work or enjoy a bit of downtime. Bill was most definitely on the downtime train.

It was a brisk 2.2 Celsius that evening with the threat of rain looming in the dark, billowing clouds above them, but that wasn't stopping the throngs of fashionably attired humans queued up and waiting to get into the club, too vain to cover their sexiness with unsexy outerwear. Tara chuckled as she passed by more than one group of humans dancing more to the sound of their own chattering teeth than the thumping, bumping beats coming from inside of the club.

"I remember those days," she said to Bill, both of them aware of but impervious to the cold.

"And what days would those be?" he smiled at her curiously. Tara pointed at the cold humans.

"When I used to stand out like that, tryin' to get in to some stupid club."

"In Bon Temps?"

"Hell no," she laughed out loud. "New Orleans. But you'd never catch me out tryin' that in weather like this. Not back then, anyway."

"Smart girl," he gave her a playful tap on her nose.

They strolled away from the club to downtown proper, then along the Svislach River in contented silence. After a time they came to a lovely park.

"Ah, so you did have a plan," Bill said to Tara then when they reached the center of the park. They stopped to admire the statue of Yanka Kupala, the Belarusian poet for whom the park was named.

"This place is so beautiful," Tara sighed as she struggled to drink it all in.

"Not as beautiful as you," Bill murmured at her before he came in for a kiss.

"I can't believe we practically have the whole place to ourselves—where is everybody?"

"It is late, Tara; it would appear that many of the locals are clamoring to get into Shashen'Ka's club..."

"And the tourists?"

"Safe and warm in their beds, most likely making other good use of the night...as should we..." he said softly before he covered her mouth with his own and kisssed her deeply.

"Uh-huh. How about a pedal boat ride first?" she pointed to the dock when he released her, where a small fleet of them were moored.

"No, I think not," he gave her a little chastising look.

"Oh, you're no fun," she said as she gave his tush a little swat.

"I agree," came a strange voice from an unknown source.

Downtime was officially over Bill realized as he pushed Tara behind him and bared his fangs, looking about desperately to see from whom the voice had been issued.

"Show yourself!" Bill ordered their unseen adversary.

"You American vampires are more than laughable," the voice condescended at them. "Always playing when you should be working."

"What do you know of our business here?" Bill demanded.

"Enough, Mr. Compton...quite enough."

Tara stepped defiantly from behind Bill. "If you have some sort of message for us then why don't you give it," she hissed at her invisible antagonist.

"Ah, Ms. Thornton! All about brass tacks, are you?" the voice demurred mockingly.

"Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want?" she asked then, beyond all patience and unafraid to show it.

"You've been emboldened by your little victory over Octavian Valerius, but that was only one battle in this war that you've started. You'll find no help here in Europe in your search for Benjamin Pope," came the voice, full of imperious mirth.

"Says you," Tara shot back snidely.

"A word of advice to you abominable vampires who prize your pointless sense of humanity over your true nature—stay that course if you must, but know that you are marked and that the True Death is upon you."

"Show yourself, coward!" Tara demanded in a rage.

"He is gone, Tara," Bill said as he took her arm and pulled her back into him. "We must leave here...now." They disappeared then and raced back to Tabah Tosti.

* * *

><p>"Wh...what...where...ah, God..." Jason moaned, his whole body on fire with fever and drenched in sweat.<p>

"Jason, just lie still, baby..." Ruby Jean told him firmly; she took a washcloth from his forehead, dipped it into a bowl of ice water, rung it out then folded it neatly before she placed it upon his forehead again. "How long is he gonna be like this?" she asked Timbo quietly.

"How...what..." Jason tried desperatley to form enough cohesive words to ask even one question and found himself unable to.

"Jason, just lie still, please," Ruby Jean begged him.

"No...what's...wrong...with..." Jason croaked as he gripped the side of the mattress and he tried to pull himself up. "Where...ah, God!" he screamed out; his body suffered a horrible spasm that made him fling himself back upon the bed and his knees shoot up to his chest drwawing him into an agonized fetal position. He looked up at Ruby Jean then, silent tears streaming down the horror that was the grimace on his face; suddenly his arm shot up and he reached out his hand at her, through rolling waves of sickness that made her appear to his eyes as only a blur above him. "Help...me..." he begged her through his voice that embodied every ounce of his pain.

Ruby Jean's whole soul went out to him as she reached to take his hand, but another torturous spasm enveloped him and she missed it as his hand shot to his stomach to grip it instead.

"What can we do to help him?" Ruby Jean turned to Timbo then and asked him in complete desperation. "I...I've seen a lot of things in my life but I ain't got no experience with this," she mumbled to herself, feeling impotent and crippled by her helplessness.

"Nothin', really, 'cept be here for him...he's turnin' and it's not gonna take proper until the next full moon and that's three days away...I'm tellin' you, Miss Ruby Jean, all we can do now is wait," Timbo told her sadly.


	105. Questionable Entities

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 105 Questionable Entities

When Bill and Tara arrived back at Tabah Tosti Shashen'Ka and Victor were still training their new pupils. They both waited quietly at the entrance to the dojo for the session to end. When it did Shashen'Ka looked over at them, noted their distress and waved them over.

"Excellent class, you two," she said when she turned her attention back to Sarah and Trey. "How do you feel?"

"I just never knew, yo," Trey spoke up first, greatly humbled by the whole experience. "When I was a kid I used to run around doin' a whole lot stupid Kung Fu play-acting, you know—Power Rangers crap—it ain't like nothing on TV or in the movies. Thank you so much, Shashen'Ka...Victor," he looked at them both with naked appreciation and bowed to each of them. Victor, who was already greatly impressed by the young one who seemed to possess a very old soul underneath his still street exterior, smiled inwardly but only gave the fledgling vampire a stern nod.

"You're quite welcomed, Trey. Sarah, how about you? From what well did you draw all of your rage? The force of your punches! Your grappling technique! You're a natural, my dear. Were you a Sumo wrestler in another life?" she joked.

"Well, I don't know about that, but when you told me stop thinking about punching and do it? To think of something that made me angry? I thought about my late husband," she told her smiling Sensei humbly.

"Very well done, Sarah. Alright then, you two—tomorrow evening, promptly after you've risen and fed. Both of you go now and make yourselves at home and I'll join you later to give you a proper tour of my club, yes?"

"Thank you, we'd love that," Sarah spoke for them both and bowed before she took her leave as Trey accompanied her out of the dojo. They gave their greetings in passing to Bill and Tara and were gone.

"Tara? Bill? What is it? You look positively furious..." Shashen'Ka began, a look of confusion on her face.

"We have just come from Yanka Kupala Park...we met a strange entity there," Bill began.

"_Heard_ a strange entity," Tara corrected him. "It knew our names and why we're here; he said—sounded like a 'he' to me—that we'd get no help from the European vampires in our search for Benjamin Pope...what the hell, Shashen'Ka?"

Shashen'Ka and Victor exchanged knowing glances.

"Don't be alarmed, my dear Tara...it was only Yuriya Kosciuszko..."

" Kosciuszko...the former Magister?" Bill cut Shashen'Ka off in disbelief.

"The one and only," Victor answered him. "Another crazy Ancient who has nothing better to do than haunt the park at night where he likes to feed on the tourists. He's harmless."

"For the most part; another crazy Ancient, however, one that we must keep our eyes on. Of course he knows why you're here, Bill, and he blames you, of course for his downfall. Whatever he said to you is most assuredly bullshit and mired in his vitriol and resentment of you. He speaks for no one, least of all the European vampire collective."

"You're sure?" Tara asked her.

"I'm sure. Come on, let's go above—I'm starving..." Shashen'Ka linked her arms through Tara's and Bill's and led them upstairs with a nod to Victor for him to follow.

* * *

><p>When Alcide and Sam caught up with Alcide's pack brothers they were crouched behind a thicket of trees forty yards away from a rustic little cabin.<p>

"Hey, Chuck...Ryder—what happened to Ricki and Kenneth?" Alcide asked them.

"The truck full of Obamas dropped off a man and a woman here, then left—Kenneth and Ricki followed the truck," Chuck informed him quietly.

"Either one of you ever been out here before? Know who this joint belongs to?"

Both men nodded their heads "no."

"A man and a woman, huh?"

"Yeah...old guy...and a younger woman—she's a big girl," said Ryder. "What you wanna do, Alcide?"

"We got the license plate off the truck—idiots covered the back plate but had another one in the back window plain as day," Chuck let out a disgusted snort.

"Good. Then I want to get the Sheriff out here, but I want Bon Temps PD in on this, too."

"Hey, I can go in and get a look at 'em—see who the fuck they are," Sam volunteered.

Alcide smiled his agreement. Seconds later Sam turned into a fly and took off for the window off the front porch that was cracked just enough to allow him entry. He was back in less than five minutes.

"Christ on a cracker..." Sam said in shock when he became human again, "you're not gonna believe who the fuck is in there..."

* * *

><p>At some point during the night Jason finally found respite in sleep. Ruby Jean and Becky had fed the babies again, changed their diapers and gotten them back to sleep and Timbo had finally left Jason's side confident in the knowledge, and from experience, that he would be out cold for at least a good twelve hours or so. He went downstairs to the living room, exhausted emotionally, and collapsed upon the couch, feeling horrible about what had happened to Jason and completely guilty about his part in it all. From upstairs her could hear Becky and Miss Ruby Jean talking quietly.<p>

"Becky girl, go get some sleep—no school today," Ruby Jean told her as she gave her a pat upon her shoulder.

"But Miss Lettie Mae will be here soon...I can make it. Jason's gonna be out for most of the day," Becky protested.

"Don't you need no rest? I'm plum tuckered-out!"

"I'm fine, really. Why don't you go get some rest, at least until Miss Maxine gets here?"

"I don't think I can really sleep myself. Maybe the two of you can tell me how this all works?"

"C'mon," Becky took her hand and led her downstairs to join Timbo. When they reached him he was stretched out on the couch staring up at the ceiling. Ruby Jean took a seat in the wingback chair opposite the couch as Becky sat next to Timbo who was sitting up and waiting for them.

"Hey, y'all."

"Miss Ruby Jean has some questions."

"What you want to know?" Timbo asked her then.

"Well, how does it happen? What's happening to him?"

"Well, he's turnin', workin' up to his first transformation; it hurts like hell the first time—it always hurts a little bit, but a lot less over time. His body is always gonna run hotter than humans so that fever ain't really gonna break like you're lookin' for it to; he's gonna burn food faster, might even lose some weight at first..."

"You mean his metabolism is gonna change..." she said more as a statement than a question.

"Yeah, I heard that word before. When you're born a panther your first change happens at puberty...at around five or six..."

"Good Lord! Five or six?" exclaimed Ruby Jean, totally aghast.

"Yes, ma'am. But when you're bit—if it's done right, on the night of a full moon—you'll change that night; if it's done before a full moon, well, you go through this until then...until the full moon. After that he'll be able to change anytime he wants to. The full moon affects all were's but panthers don't lose their shit like wolves and shifters. Oh, uh, I'm sorry...excuse my bad language, ma'am," he apologized sheepishly.

Ruby Jean smiled at him. "It's okay, honey, I thank you for the education."

"The worst of his fever will break soon—probably this evening...he'll even be up and walking around," the boy assured her calmly.

"I'm sure I have more questions but I can't think of none right now," she said tiredly. "Becky wants to go to school today—do you?" Ruby Jean asked him then.

"Well, I'm tired but I ain't really sleepy. Jason's gonna be out most of this day but I want to be here when he wakes up. Becky, you could go on," he turned to her then, "I'll stay here and help Miss Ruby Jean and Miss Maxine."

"Okay. It really ain't much we can do now but wait anyway, Miss Ruby Jean."

"Alright then. I'll go up and stretch out, watch over Michelle and Corbett. Thank you both for all of your help. I'll see you later, hear?" she said as she rose to go.

"Yes ma'am. You try and get some rest," Timbo told her.

"Bye, Miss Ruby Jean—see you after school," Becky smiled at her.

Before she had hit the first step on the stairs Timbo went back to worrying over his and Becky's role in Jason's predicament. If they had never told Jason about Crystal he'd be at work already, well and safe.

Ruby Jean turned back around to face the boy. "Don't do that, Timbo. Jason knew what he was doing when he left here, do you understand? It may not feel or look that way now, but you'll see. So stop trying to blame yourself, you hear me?" she ordered him.

"Yes,ma'am."

"Alright," she said before she turned and made her way upstairs.

* * *

><p>"Bud Dearborne? Are you crazy?" Sheriff Kenya Jones asked Sam indignantly as he sat facing her from across her desk early the next morning. "How do you know this, Sam?"<p>

"I saw him, Sheriff Jones. Look, we got a license plate number and these gentlemen right here," he said, referring to Chuck and Ryder standing behind him, "and two others are eyewitnesses who saw the truck-full of masked vigilantes who dropped Bud and a woman off at that cabin. Just run the plate and call the Shreveport Sheriff so we can find out who that woman is and get a search warrant," he begged her.

"They shot at a family of shifters last night, Sheriff Jones," Alcide informed her, "my friends here saw that, too."

"Why haven't you gone to the Shreveport Sheriff?"

"We wanted to tell you first—because of Bud. Maybe give him a chance to explain himself to a friend before he gets himself hauled in. Look, I don't want to believe it, either, but I know what I saw and I'd be willing to testify."

"Really? And exactly how did you see him, Sam? With your own eyes?"

"Yes."

"You saw his face as he walked in?"

"Uh...no..." Sam answered tentatively.

"But you saw him inside?"

"Yes..."

"Did you break in?"

"Well, not exactly," Sam said as he became visibly uncomfortable.

"But you were inside when you saw him?"

Sam shifted in his seat and cast his eyes down at the floor.

"Uh-huh...you see my dilemma now?"

"But we have a license plate number," interjected Alcide.

"And that's great. But you need to be givin' that information to Shreveport PD. And Sam, whatever you think you have on Bud is purely circumstantial..."

"But Kenya!"

Kenya shot him an unappreciative look.

"But Sheriff," Sam restated.

"Circumstantial, Sam, _at this point in time_, do you understand? We'll run the plate, but as far as the cabin? If the owner of that cabin is not tied to the truck or anyone who was in it that can be positively identified as an actual perpetrator of the crime your friends witnessed in a line-up? Well, we're going to have a bit of a time with that. First thing first—let me run it and see what we get, alright? Then I'll call Shreveport PD and you fellas will need to go and report to them what you reported to me about the shooting and what you saw _outside_ the cabin. I'm on your side here guys, but you gotta work with me just a little bit, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sam said disappointedly.

"Thank you for your help, Sheriff Jones," Alcide said then.

"Don't thank me yet—give me that plate number, please?"


	106. New Sensations

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 106 New Sensations

"What the fuck..." Jason moaned softly.

"Jason, you're at Sookie's...we got you upstairs to bed—it's about nine o'clock, honey," Ruby Jean told him delicately.

"Nine? I'm...I'm late for..."

"Nine at night, honey..."

"What? My boss is gonna kill me," he said worriedly as he struggled to sit up.

"I called Sheriff Jones this morning, honey, and told her you were too sick to call in yourself—don't worry about work right now. Lie back down." Ruby Jean felt his forehead. "You're still hot, but not as hot as before...how are you feelin', baby?"

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck...and these sheets—they're wet?" he looked down at them and felt the damp cotton. "What the hell? What's wrong with me?" he asked her in a panic.

"Calm down, baby, you been in a fever, since last night. I'm gonna change these sheets for you right now..."

"Miss Ruby Jean, what the hell is wrong with me? This is worse than any fever—it's gotta be... "

"Jason, you saw Crystal last night—she bit you—you're turnin'..." Timbo told him then.

Jason's attention was drawn to the young man sitting in the chair beside the bed, who got up then and went to him. "Turnin'? What?" The energy Jason expended just trying to sit up wore him out enough that he flopped back down onto the bed.

"We run hotter than humans, Jason...you'll get used to it soon," the boy assured him.

"Wait a minute...changing...changing? I thought..."

"Crystal bit you, Jason; werepanthers can turn humans from a bite; you got two more nights to the full moon before you make your first transformation."

"Jason, don't you remember nothin', honey? Nothin' at all?" asked Ruby Jean.

"I thought I was having a nightmare...it really happened. Let me up, sweetheart, I really want to get out of this bed..." he said to the worried woman as he sat up again. "I'm good, really..." Jason got out of the bed and successfully onto his feet.

"Jason.." she went to him when his knees suddenly buckled.

"I'm okay," he said as he righted himself. "Really, I'm okay."

"Are you hungry, honey? Thirsty?"

"Oh yeah, I could drink a river dry right about now..."

"I got a fridge full of Gatorade downstairs, let me go..."

"No, I can manage, sweetheart, thank you. Timbo, come on down with me, huh?"

"Yeah, Jason, sure," the young man sprang to attention and jumped out of the chair.

* * *

><p>"Boy, this place is the absolute dizzy limit," said Sarah to Trey as she looked around Tabah Tosti in awe. They had taken the promised tour with Shashen'Ka and then been joined by Bill and Tara, who had been fun to hang with but seemed slightly distracted. After a time Shashen'Ka had excused herself to go and attend to some business issue with Victor; Bill and Tara gave their apologies soon after and retired early to ground.<p>

Trey and Sarah were settled on the second floor rotunda balcony overlooking the stages below; the cozy booth was actually made of old railway train seats, all splendidly done in rich hues of burgundy and gold velvet and dark full-grain leather. Every few seconds beautiful dancers, vampire and human alike, rained down before them in the middle of the rotunda on their seventy-five foot ropes, acrobatic morsels of sexy perfection, slithering seductively down to their waiting patrons below.

"True that," he agreed with her after he tore his eyes away from a cute little red-headed human girl at another booth that had just given him an appreciative wink. "Cirque du Soleil ain't got shit on this place."

"Are you still hungry or are you planning to use her to quench some other hunger right now?" she smiled at him when she saw what he was looking at.

"Oh, I'm good, shorty—dinner was quite enough for tonight," he said of the humans they had fed on before and after their training. "I'm still getting my bearings. Never in my life have I been to a club like this."

"I went to Gilley's once with my sister, but it wasn't anything like this." Sarah noted the question mark on Trey's face and chuckled. "That was before your time, honey..."

"Hey, forget you—I saw 'Urban Cowboy', yo—my mom had a thing for John Travolta like nobody's business. I just thought that you were a proper little, bible-totin' Southern Belle...a little Goody-Two-Shoes."

"I had a touch of fun before I got married, thank you very much," she scolded him with a playful swat at his shoulder.

"Yeah, okay, if you say so..." he gave an unbelieving little tilt of his chin at her.

"Well, it's about time to call it a night."

"We still have an hour or so," he said as he leaned back in his seat and concentrated an appreciative smile at her.

"What?" she asked him, feeling slightly discomforted by the glare of his new eyes upon her. "What?" she asked him more insistently.

"You looked real good in training tonight, Sarah—you're a bad-ass lil sumthin' sumthin'." His compliment was sincere but masked its truest inspiration.

"Stop looking at me like that, _little brother,_" she reprimanded him lightly through a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah, okay," he smirked knowingly at her.

"Okay nothing, you. You ready to turn in or what?"

"Or what," he challenged her.

"Trey, what's gotten into you," she asked him then, very visibly flustered and amused at the same time.

"I don't know...maybe it's this place; I mean, I'm lookin' around and I see all of these beautiful people, alive, undead; there's a fine little chick at the next table ain't makin' no secret about what she wants, you know? The vibe in here is crazy...like, mad-sexy..."

"Yeah...so...why don't you do something about it, silly?" she shook her head at him as she gave a little sigh of relief.

Trey wanted to tell her that was what he was trying to do but bit his tongue; it wasn't Tabah Tosti at all that had him feeling what he was feeling for Sarah; it was the blood bond they shared from having the same Maker; it was everything that they had been through in their short time together and the years they had yet to share; it was her smile and her humanity, that seemed impossible for her to shed; it was how she mothered him, stood up for him and stood back, as well, respecting him as the man that he was; it was her inner strength, that didn't surprise him, and her physical strength, that did, very pleasantly so. He decided easily to follow her nervous cue and just continue to hang back in the cut; he wanted to let her know how he felt but was also very sure that he wasn't ready to be rejected. He stood up from the table and held his hand out to her. "Come on, _sis_, let's turn in."

* * *

><p>It was six o'clock the next morning and Jason had been up all night. "I'm tellin' you, I feel fine, Miss Ruby Jean. As a matter of fact," he said, sounding rather amazed, "I feel more awake than I ever have in my life..." He almost thought that he could feel the nerves in his body re-wiring themselves, assisting all of his cells to rearrange themselves; it was disconcerting and exhilarating all at once and he felt like he was seeing the world with whole new eyes. Whatever the hell was happening to him, and as strange as it felt, it felt a hell of a lot better than agonizing spasms of pain he had endured the previous evening.<p>

"How in the world do you think you can got to work, boy? You ain't had a lick of sleep since you woke up last night—you certainly shouldn't get behind the wheel of a car...Timbo, is he well enough to drive?" Ruby Jean asked him worriedly.

"Every body goes through their change different, Miss Ruby Jean,...some born were's are bed-ridden for days, some are not; I don't know too much about bitten were's but the worst of it is always at night the closer you get to the full moon. It ain't unusual for Jason to be up and about right now," Timbo turned to Jason then and spoke to him directly, "but you want to be home by sunset."

Jason nodded his understanding at him. "Well, alright—that's settled. I called my boss and told her I was gettin' better and coming in today. So I'm going home to change into a fresh uniform. Now you know I appreciate you sweetheart, but you stop your worryin'," he gave Ruby Jean a hug and a kiss to her cheek.

"You call me when you get to work, Jason."

Jason gave her reprimanding but loving look. "Now stop that. Besides, I'm stopping at Merlotte's before I even get to the station—Sam has a lead on the vigilantes and Sheriff Jones wants me to see him right away. I got this, Miss Ruby Jean. I'll be home before sundown," he gave her and Timbo both his pointed reassurance and then left them.

"Alright honey, run on up and get Becky—I got breakfast ready for you and Lettie Mae will be here soon."

"Yes ma'am," Timbo said and took off.

Ruby Jean went to the window and looked worriedly out into the grey, cool wet morning, beyond the steady falling raindrops, upset and unnerved that her vision was as cloudy as the morning sky.

* * *

><p>When Jason got to Merlotte's he found Deputy Ellis seated at the bar, facing the door and waiting for him. He had been in casual conversation with a patron, who at that moment was thoroughly engrossed in his plate of pancakes and sausage.<p>

"Hey, Kevin—what's up man?"

"Hey Jason, how are you feeling?"

"I'm better, man, thanks." Jason looked a question at the Kevin and nodded his head in the direction of the man seated next to him. "I didn't know Sam served breakfast this early in the morning..."

"Oh, well, this is a special circumstance, Jason. You know my uncle Abe? Up the road?"

"Yeah?"

"This gentleman's car is at his shop right now—it broke down on the highway last night." As they were talking about him, the man wiped his hands on a napkin and turned to greet Jason.

"Hello, Deputy, my name is..."

Jason jumped back from the man's outstretched hand as he drew his gun and the man's hands went up immediately.

"FREEZE, FUCKER!"

"Whoa, Jason," Kevin jumped off of his stool, knocking it over as he did so. Holly came from the kitchen then to see what all the ruckus was about.

"Jason! Stop!"

"Stay back, Holly!" he shouted at her, never taking his eyes away from the demon before him. "I don't know what fresh hell this is, but I...I..."

"Jason, it's blazin' daytime! He's not Franklin Mott, Jason—put your gun down!" Holly yelled at him.

"I've seen vampires up and walking around in the daytime, Holly."

"Not in Merlotte's, you haven't," she said furiously as she came near him.

"Draw down, Jason," Kevin warned him then. "This man is Franklin Mott's grand-nephew. He's in town looking for him."

"What?" Jason's face was a display of pure confusion.

"I'm so sorry, Deputy, I seem to have this horrible effect on everyone."

"No, Nicholas, not everyone, just us two boneheads..." Holly said disgustedly. She walked right up to Jason and took the shocked man's gun away from him, easy as she pleased. "I already scared the Bejesus out of this poor man last night, Jason—cut him a break already."

Sam came in from the back then with a frown on his face as he looked at the lot of them. "What the fu..." He caught a strange whiff and realized it was Jason that he was sensing. "Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"What's going on with you, man?" he asked him delicately.

"I came here to see you...about the vigilantes—Sheriff Jones sent me."

"I know that—that's not what I'm talkin' about, man."

"What then?"

"Look, everybody take a deep breath," he said as he came over and righted the bar stool, never taking his eyes off of his badly startled friend. "Jason, come with me...come on...to my office."

"But...I...he's..." Jason stuttered, still trying to reconcile himself with the fact that the dead ringer before him was actually human and not the vampire he staked months ago and right out back behind Merlotte's.

"Jason," Sam warned him, speaking very slowly and deliberately, "shut the fuck up and come with me to my office...now," Sam ordered him. "Excuse us," he said to the bewildered threesome as he ushered Jason away.


	107. Careful Comfort

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 107 Careful Comfort

"_I am here, dear girl. How are you feeling?"_

"_I feel...a certain peace—I don't know any other way to describe it."_

"_That is a good thing, Sookie, a very good thing indeed. What has brought you to it, may I ask?"_

"_Being honest with myself over what I need to do; I'm literally looking down at myself and so many things seem much clearer from here."_

"_What things, Sookie?"_

"_It won't be the end of my world if Eric and I aren't together—I got over Bill, I can move on over Eric—I have to—I'm a liability. I don't want to be anyone's liability, Queen Mab. Besides, the end of my world is not important—with the vampires all up in arms with each other, well, our union just spells nothing but disaster—for the whole world. I can't be a party to that."_

"_I'm glad to hear that coming from you, Sookie."_

"_I'll be his friend and ally for as long as I live, and I'm okay with that. I hope you will be, as well."_

"_I feel your peace, Sookie, and it warms me; I more than honor your feelings."_

"_I feel very removed from my pain over what happened to me in New Orleans...I'm just afraid that once I'm back in my body it will reconnect with me, as well."_

"_The goal is for you to reconnect with your body very much removed from your pain, Sookie. You need more time, that's all."_

"_There are other things weighing on me that I do feel very responsible for."_

"_Such as?"_

"_Debby Pelt, for one."_

"_That was a clear case of self-defense, Sookie."_

"_No, Queen Mab, I didn't have to kill her."_

"_Sookie, the only goal she had left in her piteous life was to see you dead; had you spared her she would have made another attempt, and another, until she had met it. You must reconcile yourself with that. What else weighs on you, girl?"_

"_Pam. Aside from the sister I never knew he had, Pam was the nearest thing to Eric's dead heart."_

"_Again, Sookie, you had no fault in that. The witch, Marnie Stonebrook, is solely to blame; her invocation of Antonia Gavilán de Logroño was the cause of that entire debacle and the ensuing one with Russell Edgington—he would still be buried under concrete today had Marnie not called forth the spirit of she who could make vampires walk against their will in the sunlight. If it would make you feel any better—and I know that it would—you could well be able to give your dear Eric a very special parting gift when the time comes that you end your relationship with him."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_Listen to me closely..."_

* * *

><p>"Come on, man, talk to me."<p>

Jason fidgeted in his seat across from Sam's desk. "What?"

"I can smell something different about you, Jason—what happened to you?"

Jason scooted his chair noisily closer to the desk then leaned in conspiratorially toward his friend; Sam leaned in closer, as well. "Am I gonna be like that? Able to sense stuff like that?" he half-whispered.

"Well, that depends, Jason—what the fuck happened?" Sam asked him exasperatedly.

"Look, I found out from Becky that Crystal—Norris—the girl from HotShot I was seeing..."

"The one that came in here with her crazy-ass father? The were-panther?"

"Yeah. A lot of shit happened to me in behind her, Sam. Anyway, Becky saw her hanging around our house one night-I went to Hotshot to confront her. Horrible, but long-ass story short—she bit me the other night—I'm turning, man. Next full moon I'll be making my first fuckin' transformation."

"What the fuck?" Sam threw himself against the back of his chair. "I don't know a lot of shit, but I thought panthers were like wolves...I thought..."

"Me too, man, but that ain't the case. Must be some kinda cats an' dogs shit or something," Jason said disgustedly. "Uh, no offense...I mean, I know you ain't a wolf, you know, but you always, you know...turn into..." he began his awkward apology.

"None taken, man, calm the fuck down," Sam said with a sympathetic smile. "How do you feel?"

"When I'm trying not to shit my pants? Just dandy."

Sam let out an involuntary chuckle.

"Man, I feel...awake...I can feel my body changing and it's the strangest Goddamn thing. You ever all of a sudden felt aware of your tongue?"

Sam gave a confused shake of his head. "What?"

"You ever become aware of your tongue? I mean, most of the time, it's just in your mouth being a tongue; you eat, you drink, you talk—you don't think about it, it just is; nothing calls your attention to it unless, you know, you burn it on some hot coffee or bite it accidentally—seems like pain is the only that makes you aware that it's even there. You taste some good food, your taste buds get all the glory; you kiss a hot woman, you know you're kissing her and it feels good and all, but it's other parts of your body perkin' up and gettin' happy," Jason said then, a faraway smile on his face.

"Jason, what the fuck are you talkin' about?" Sam's stern, confused tone of voice brought him back around.

"What I mean is, sometimes, all of a sudden you become aware of your tongue; you feel it; it feels heavy and foreign and...fuckin' weird; you feel _it_, man—you don't even know what to do with it—it almost makes you want to scream, just sittin' in your mouth like a lump; and it fuckin' amazes you that it doesn't get in your way more often—it becomes an effort not to bite it when you chew. That's how my body feels, all over—I'm aware of everything; I feel everything; I feel the blood traveling through my arteries; I don't just feel my heartbeat, I feel the blood, like swooshing through the valves, likes kids on a water slide—it's fucking driving me crazy!" Jason jumped out of his seat and began to pace the room.

"Okay, okay...try to calm down...come on—sit back down...come on..." Sam motioned to him and Jason obeyed as he plopped heavily back into his seat.

"So, I been in a fever ever since she bit me, my body in spasms; then I woke up this morning, drank a fridge full of Gatorade and felt like I could handle work. Then I come in here and there's—who I thought to be—Franklin-fuckin'-Mott—sittin' at the bar making nice with some pigs in a blanket. What am I supposed to tell that bastard, Sam? I staked Franklin Mott—right out back last summer!"

"Calm down, man. I don't know what he wants, but you just tell him that you got an anonymous tip, came to investigate and found the remains of what appeared to be his uncle. Keep it simple. And if he needs some kind of proof have Tara tell him that she was accosted by him but got away. That gives some kind of corroboration to his ID, at least, and some closure for his family. How about that?"

"But Tara is out of the country, man!"

"Ever heard of e-mail? Faxes? Skype? Come on, get a grip. I know you got a lot on your plate right now..."

"You think?"

"I almost hate to tell you what I found out last night, now..."

"Fuck, you might as well—be a welcomed distraction from all of this shit," he muttered to himself.

Sam relayed the events of his previous evening.

"Bud? Fuckin' Bud?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Okay, I almost feel happy. But I really want to know who Warlow is."<em>

"_Yes, I think you may be ready now."_

"_Well, I don't know if I like how _that_ sounds..."_

"_It is necessary for you to be in a certain frame of mind Sookie, that's all, and you are much healed now. I will start with the truest beginning: The Time Before Time. I won't go as far as to try and explain who God is as much as who gods have been. _

"_The World of Man has it all backwards, my dear. Many have been surprised at the insatiable sexual appetites of vampires, but you must know, in the beginning that is what it was all about, and remains so, to this day. You've been to Sunday school; you've heard the stories of the Fallen Angels, the Nephilim—the reason for the Great Flood. It is no myth or mere text to be discounted as bible stories come to seed in the minds of fanatical holy men. Warlow is the closest thing to a god that you will ever know in this universe. _

"_Fallen Angels and their impending influence upon this world began when they looked down from their realm to ours and saw the Daughters of Men; their beauty; their light; their potential; saw their lacking male counterparts, who could not help them to fulfill it, being neither willing or able to do so. With the Daughters of Men they begat the Nephilim; from the spirits of the Nephilim were begotten the Demons and every sort of supernatural creature you can imagine including Nosferatu—the Vampire. _

"_Human men have always feared the power of the sexuality of Human women, especially in full bloom; women existed to be owned, subjugated; ruled without rights and certainly without regard to their pleasures. Enter Warlow and those like him, who came to understand very early on about the Daughters of Men that their libido was sorely mismatched to that of their earthly counterparts. Why, when a man comes to orgasm he is done, but the woman could go on; a woman's sexuality blooms and becomes more powerful with age: in her mid-life she is just beginning to reach her peak while her man has reached his almost twenty years before her. Male mid-life crisis is simply a man fooling himself into believing that new sex, and especially sex with younger women, proves that he is potent and virile when all he's really doing is lowering the bar of performance against a less-worthy partner who wouldn't know better; someone who will say, 'Yes, isn't this great', instead of a woman who has come into the full power of her multi-orgasmic sexuality and will say 'Is that all you've got?'. It was always about the sex; the power of Divine Sex to be shared with the only Humans capable of sharing it with: women._

"_In that time before time, when Warlow and his ilk came to Earth, they made it their sole endeavour to give Human women that which their Human men denied them: all-encompassing sexual pleasure; unrivaled in their abilities because they were Divine and without the limitations Human men were and still are, encumbered with; desiring and able to meet that power that Human men so feared being overtaken by. _

"_You must ask yourself, in all of the incarnations since, the offspring of those Divine unions—Fae; Vampire; Were-beast; Witch; and all sorts of creatures of Light and Dark in between: what is the one unifying trait that they share? Astounding sexual appetites, prowess and persuasion; beings capable of giving unending and intense pleasure—Divine pleasure. For vampires the blood is not without importance, but many of the myths surrounding their kind have been created and perpetuated by them, to confound and confuse Humans._

"_So, who is Warlow to you, you want to know. He is the Divine Dark to your Light, Sookie; the one you were promised to, to help strike the unending and necessary balance between that Divine Dark and Light." _

"_What? Who? Who would make such a promise?"_

"_Your ancestors, Sookie. Think of it as sort of an arranged marriage, only one you will not be bound to for the rest of your life. And there are others, Sookie, promised to the Fathers of Time, as they would have us call them now. It was a necessary bargain that was struck to keep this Universe in balance. They do not endeavour to have what happened to the world because of them happen again, to populate this world with greedy and unstable hordes of Nephilim; but they do, as one may say, have their needs. They forgo those needs for whole Millinenia before their chosen mates are called upon to give them succor."_

"_I don't understand, this world is full of their progeny..."_

"_Full of, but not filled, Sookie, the likes of which would mean destruction for us all. But they exist and have always been. We are their very watered-down offspring capable of bringing them very careful comfort. We have always done this willingly."_

"_But he killed my parents..."_

"_I know the words are quite impotent, but it was an accident, Sookie. He might have killed more people while looking for you had not Claudine stopped him and brought him to his senses. To say that he is eager for you might be an understatement."_

"_And frightening, Queen Mab."_

"_Do not be. He will surprise you."_

"_Yeah, he's already surprised me—he scared the living crap out of me."_

"_Sookie..."_

"_Well, he did."_

"_We must make plans first for you to rejoin your body—are you ready for that?"_

"_Yes, actually, I am."_

"_Good. After you you've spent a little more time with us in Faery we will begin plans for your return home."_

"_Not that I don't greatly appreciate all of your help, Queen Mab, but how much longer will that be?"_

"_That depends on you, Sookie. My only caveat is that you must be completely ready to travel, do you understand what I mean?"_

"_Yes, I do."_

"_Alright, my dear—prepare yourself..."_


	108. Reporting In

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 108 Reporting In

While Jason talked with Sam in his office Nicholas Mott waited patiently for his audience with him. He had found it impossible to finish his breakfast and thanked Holly sincerely for her hospitality when she came to clear away his plate.

"Kind of lost your appetite, I see. I'm so sorry..." she said as she stacked his dishes and took them in hand.

"Please stop apologizing, Miss Cleary. And thank you, the meal was lovely," he smiled at her. He took her free hand, brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it sweetly.

"Oh...my..." The blush to Holly's cheeks rose instantly. Over in the pool room Kevin was concluding a call on his cell phone.

"Uh...Mr. Mott?" Kevin interrupted them awkwardly when he hung up and approached them both, "I just got a call from the station—I need to go, sir. I also talked to my uncle and he said to tell you that your car will be ready by noon today. Miss Holly, you think you'd be able to help him with that later?"

"Oh, yes...of course."

"Thank you. Mr. Mott, Deputy Stackhouse can bring you down to the station or you can talk to him here, if you like—whichever suits you, sir. Good luck with everything," Kevin held out his hand and Nicholas shook it.

"Thank you, Deputy Ellis, for all of your kind assistance."

Kevin nodded and then left them. Just then Sam and Jason came into the dining room and headed to the bar.

"Thank you for waiting, Mr. Mott and please excuse my behavior earlier," Jason apologized. "You have some questions—do you want to talk about it here or at the station?"

"Here is fine, actually."

Sam took Holly by the elbow gently. "C'mon, Holly..." The two of them left quietly.

"Let's take a booth, huh?" Jason suggested as he led the man over to one. When they were settled Jason put on his best professional face and proceeded. "How can I help you?"

"Well, you see, the family has been keeping loose tabs on my uncle for years, as much as was possible to do, anyway. The last we heard of him was by way of the news...after that heinous display by Russell Edgington that was broadcast all around the world. His name was mentioned in connection with Edgington, you see; we put a private detective on it and that led us to Mississippi, Edgington's mansion. Some remaining employees there were canvassed and one of them mentioned that he knew for a fact that my uncle had some dealings here in Bon Temps. And here we are. May I ask if you ever met my uncle? Did you know of him personally, Deputy Stackhouse?"

"No, but I have a very close friend who did. Unfortunately, she's out of the country right now, but I know how to get in contact with her, sir. Her name is Tara Thornton. You see, your uncle, Franklin Mott, attacked her one night, approximately six months ago, here in the back lot of Merlotte's."

"Oh my...that's horrible—I'm so sor..."

"Thank you for that, sir. I got the call from the 911 dispatcher: a distraught female had called from her cell phone to report an attack and vampire staking; I came to take her report and investigate. I got here at approximately 1000 hours—I'd have to check the report for the date, sir, I don't remember that off hand, I'm sorry... "

In his mind's eye, as he mechanically reported the false events to the doppelganger sitting across from him, Jason saw the true events of that night: Tara in a choke-hold at the vicious hands of the crazy vampire that had wanted to make her his bride, enraged that night because she had escaped him...

"I arrived here at Merlotte's and found the victim, Tara Thornton, an African-American female, twenty-six years old, at that time, in the rear of the parking lot, terribly shaken up—traumatized, actually; there were visible red marks on her throat—not bite marks, I was able to ascertain..."

Jason saw himself then, his rifle cocked and aimed at the vampire's head; the sneer on his face as he smugly tried to dismiss him...

"She had collapsed to sitting on the ground, staring at a mass of blood and clothing remnants in front of her person: black leather jacket, dark T-shirt, dark denim jeans, a pair of black cowboy boots..."

Jason could almost hear Franklin's last words: "Y_ou do realize I'm a vampire? You can empty every round in me," _he'd said as he approached Jason then, "_and I'll heal..."_; he saw again the eruption of his vampire shell as he blasted a shot into his chest through his heart, saw his dead flesh as it rained over Tara, who had been crouching behind him, her screams filling the warm night air. "_Not if I got wooden bullets," _Jason had said over the bloody goo that soaked the ground at his feet...

"I asked the victim if she had staked the perpetrator to which she responded she had not; she replied that she had heard a shot from off in the distance and then stated that your uncle disintegrated before her, sir. She was unaware of who might have been responsible. I called for the coroner; the crime scene was investigated but turned up no leads as to the assailant or assailants who may have been present and fired the fatal shot of a single wooden bullet, which was found at the scene. The deceased's clothing was collected by the coroner—I'm sorry sir, I don't know what the disposition of the remains entailed—it was primarily blood soaking into the ground. There was no next of kin that we knew of to report to. Subsequent investigation also turned up no leads. As positive ID of the deceased had been made the case was deemed an unsolved homicide. Currently it is an inactive cold case, sir," Jason lied.

"Oh, my God..." Nicholas Mott said then, flabbergasted beyond more words.

"Would you like for us to re-open the case, sir?"

"No...no—it all appears to be very evident that my uncle was the reprobate that he had always been. It was inevitable, I'm sure, that he would meet his end in such a way. I'm sorry that he inflicted himself on your friend, Deputy Stackhouse, and for any other vile thing he may have done here in your fine town. How is she, your friend?"

"She's a vampire now..."

"Oh...oh, my God! Was he...did he..."

"No; he had previously fed on her numerous times against her will, but not that night. Her Maker is someone else," Jason told him. "But she is still my very close friend—she still has her humanity—continues to embrace it. I know that if I called upon her to talk to you, she would be happy to comply. If that's something you would like then just say the word, sir."

"No, that's not necessary, but thank you. What I do require, Deputy Stackhouse, is some sort of documentation to present to my family, for insurance purposes and what not. I'm sure there's no death certificate or any such thing, but the police and coroner's reports would be most helpful."

"Certainly, Mr. Mott. I'll deliver those to you before the end of the day," Jason assured him. The police report would be easy to fake, but the none-existent coroner's report...well, he'd come up with something. For Jason the worst of it was over; he was thankful the poor unsuspecting man was so agreeable but it actually served only to make him feel guiltier about his lies. He shook it off—Franklin Mott had been a menace and Jason knew he had done Tara and the world a favor by taking him out. He rose from his seat and offered his hand to the man. "Alright then. I'm glad I was able to provide some closure for you, Mr. Mott. Please tell me where you'll be at about three this afternoon and I'll deliver those reports to you personally."

Nicholas rose and shook his hand and then both men extracted themselves from the booth. "Well, my car is in the repair shop and will be done by noon—I'll be back at Bon Temps motel at three...room seven."

"Great, sir, I'll see you then." Jason gave him a nod and left.

Unnoticed by Nicholas Mott, a fly buzzed away from the wall abutting the booth he and Jason had been sitting at and headed unimpeded to the back office.

Holly came back into the dining room then.

"Nicholas, can I get you anything? A cold drink? Hot coffee and piece of pie, maybe?"

"No, thank you Miss Cleary." Nicholas looked at his watch. "Seems that we've quite a bit of time to kill."

"Yeah and it's actually my day off today. I'm sure you don't want to hang around here all morning."

"Right at this moment, dear lady, anywhere you happen to be is more than fine with me," he smiled at her.

"Oh...uh, well, do you want me to take you back to the motel? I'd be happy to come back for you and take you to on over to Abe's to pick up your car when it's ready."

"Or you could stay and visit with me," he suggested pleasantly.

"Oh...uh...I think I should tell you that I'm, you know, kind of in a relationship with someone and..."

"That's lovely," he cut her off, "I'm not trying to suggest anything inappropriate, but it really doesn't make sense to ask you to use up all of that petrol. I just thought that in the interest of convenience, you know?"

"Uh...yeah..." she responded reticently.

"Come now, Miss Cleary, I don't bite. I promise to be the perfect gentleman."

"Oh, well that's no fun," she joked before she caught herself. "Uh, I didn't mean that like it sounded," she began nervously.

"Holly—may I call you Holly?"

"Of course."

"Holly, please calm yourself—and accompany me to my lonely little motel room? I would really appreciate the company."

Holly didn't recall ever meeting Franklin Mott in person, but from what Tara had related to her in their one-on-one sessions he had clearly been a monster. But this man, with his soft, lyrical British accent and easy demeanor seemed so incapable of even remotely being related to someone like that. Combined with his lean but healthy-looking, six-foot frame, piercing blue eyes and chin-length wavy long hair he looked like a medieval prince come to life from the pages of a story book; why, if the stubble of the beard and mustache, that looked as if they were begging to come to full blossom any moment, had actually been in full effect she could have easily envisioned him in a white shirt, doublet and tights, as well as scabbard and sword slung dashingly across his hips. As it was he looked divine in tight jeans, boots and a slim black moto-inspired cotton hoodie deal, unzipped just enough to reveal that he wore no shirt underneath it.

"How old are you?" she blurted out before she could stop herself, the result of her curiosity, which had more than gotten the better of her.

"I'm thirty-eight, Holly," he smiled at her. Being the gentleman that he was he did not ask her the same.

"Really? You look much younger than that."

"Wait until my beard grows back—you'll be handing me a cane and asking me if I remember when the Dead Sea was just feeling ill."

A little chuckle erupted from her then bloomed into a full fit of laughter. "What a beautiful liar you are."

"Oi! I kid you not, Miss Holly-will you honor me, then?" he beamed his question at her.

"I'd love to," she smiled back at him.

* * *

><p>At Bon Temps Police Station Jason had a full day. He met with his boss and assured her that he was better, then delved into the mysterious developments pertaining to Bud Dearborne.<p>

He called Andy Bellefleur who confirmed that he found Bud at home one morning with a woman other than his wife, which he confided to Jason, had upset and disappointed him terribly. It turned out that Bud's mystery woman and the owner of the cabin were one in the same: Sweetie Des Arts. However, the owner of the truck was a Shreveport resident that had reported it stolen three weeks prior. Jason learned from Kenya that when Shreveport PD questioned Des Arts about the truck rolling up to her cabin on the night in question she flatly denied knowing anything about it and he related the news to Andy.

"Jason, you coulda knocked me over with a feather that day. I tell you, Bud is a whole different man now—someone I don't know at all."

"Maybe so, Andy, but she sounds like a real twisted, conniving kinda bitch to me. And she's young—you know how young, new pussy can turn a man's mind to jelly."

"Yeah, but she's ugly as fuck, Jason, from the inside out—I just don't understand how he could've gotten caught up in her evilness unless he's got some in him, too—she ain't no beautiful temptress and he ain't no pussy-whipped fool in love. They are most definitely of a common accord and it makes my skin crawl to think about it."

"I feel you man. Thanks for the information—I'm sorry he's turned out to be this way. I'll be in touch."

"Bye, Jason—watch your back, man, and let me know if you need me."

"Will do."

Jason called Sam and Alcide next with the update in a conference call and told them that, barring any shooting incidents before the full moon, he would head up an official task force, including them, and begin investigating Bud and Sweetie in earnest.

"Why after the full moon, man?" Alcide has asked him. "We're cool any night of the week, right Sam?"

"Uh, Alcide, I don't want to talk about it on this line—Sam, will you explain to him when we hang up?"

"You got it, buddy," Sam assured him.

"Thanks, man. Talk to you both soon." The men rang off.

Jason finalized some other cases on his desk and then set himself to the task of writing up the fake report to give to Nicholas Mott. Regarding the coroner's report Jason simply added an addendum that it was unavailable the time of the filing of the police report and pending processing. Jason decided he would simply tell Mott that the report had never come down, which very well could have been true. Mike Spencer had collected many vampire remains in his day but Jason had never once seen a completed report on one. When he asked Mike about it once Mike had laughed and asked him, "How the hell is anybody truly supposed to do a coroner's report on somebody who was dead before they died again? Fuck that shit—waste of paper, ink and time, man." It was all just as well. Mike had met the True Death his own damn self and it was a safe bet that because of his shoddy filing practices Jason would never be called to task on it, anyway. So, as far as old Nicholas Mott went, something had to be better than nothing and he was fairly certain the the guy wouldn't have any complaints. He checked his watch.

"Fuck!"

He rushed to straighten his desk, collect what he needed then scrambled out of his chair and rushed to his boss' office. He tapped at her open door.

"Hold on sir, I'll need you repeat that for me in just a minute..." Kenya looked up from the phone call she was on. Yeah?"

"Been all day at my desk, Boss—gotta run this out," he held up the manila envelope containing Mott's report, "and then go to the hardware store about that break-in last night. Then I'm gonna head home—that alright?"

"Of course, Jason. See you tomorrow," she smiled at him before she went back to her conversation.

As Jason started up the engine of his cruiser he felt good about all that he had accomplished that day. He would get Mott his report, hit the hardware store and then make it home in plenty of time before sundown, just as he had promised Timbo and Ruby Jean. He didn't know what the night was going to bring but he felt confident that he would be able to handle that shit, too.

As Jason drove to Bon Temps motel an Anubis Air jet was touching down at the Shreveport Airport Authority transporting the precious cargo of three titanium coffins containing Sabeen Zaya, Antanas Valinsky and Louis Pasteur. Once they were transferred to the sleek, black waiting vans in their small convoy they would be whisked away under heavy guard directly to the mansion of King Eric Northman who, along with Carlyle Stiobard and Reika Wakamatsu, would meet them at sundown to de-brief Pasteur.


	109. All That Is Precious

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 109 All That Is Precious

It had been a busier morning than Nicholas had anticipated. As he and Holly were heading to the motel Abe Ellis had run into another problem with his car; when he'd finally located the part he needed to fix it he'd called Holly on her cell phone promptly and let her know that the job would take longer than expected.

"The part I need is in Monroe, Mr. Mott," he told him when Holly passed him her phone, "but I can't get it until tomorrow morning—their driver is out on another out-of-town delivery now and won't be back until then," Abe explained to him earlier that morning. Nicholas relayed the information to Holly and was not upset one bit, but Holly had been having second thoughts about spending a long morning with the handsome man alone in his motel room; she got on the phone with Abe and volunteered to go pick the part up herself.

"That's a two and a half hour drive each way, darlin'—you sure you want to do that?" Abe asked her.

"I've got the day off and I'm happy to help, Abe... just give me the address and we'll head out now—as long as we have Mr. Mott back at his motel to meet with Deputy Stackhouse at three o'clock we'll be good and if I leave now we can do that." Abe gave her the address Holly headed for the highway.

They hadn't been back even twenty minutes from picking up his car when Jason knocked on the door.

Just as Jason had expected the man had given him no grief over not having the coroner's report and was more than happy with what he had been furnished.

"Thank you, Mr. Mott for your kind understanding in this matter. It was a pleasure to meet you, I'm just sorry that it was under such circumstances, sir."

"No, the apologies are all mine, Deputy Stackhouse, for my uncle's horrid behavior. Thank you for all of your kind assistance."

"You're welcomed. Will you be heading back to England soon?"

"Originally it had been my plan to get back as soon as possible, however, I've found some lovely distractions that I'd like to explore further here in your fine town," Nicholas' eyes darted over at Holly before he gave a happy smile at Jason.

"Here? In Bon Temps?" Jason asked him with genuine surprise.

"Yes, actually—this is my first trip to America, I'd like to see a bit of it before I go back—I can e-mail these documents to the lawyers who are waiting for them and let them work out the rest...I haven't had a vacation in ages."

"Well, whatever floats your boat, I guess," Jason said with a shrug. "Bon Temps is usually a pretty boring place, but when things heat up they have a tendency to go nuclear—Holly, you might want to tell him about our vigilante problem and give him some other useful pointers for safety's sake..." Jason suggested to her.

Holly gave a nervous giggle as she nodded her head.

"Alright, folks, I've go to get going...bye, Holly...Mr. Mott—" Jason reached out to him and the two men shook hands goodbye.

"I'm sure I'll have the pleasure of seeing you again, Deputy Stackhouse."

Jason nodded and then left them.

"So," Nicholas turned to Holly after he'd shut the door, "a vigilante problem?"

Holly gave him an uncomfortable look.

"What is it, Holly?"

"I really need to get going, myself, Nicholas..."

"But we've been on the run all day—we haven't had a chance to talk properly at all..." he complained with a sweet smile.

"We talked all the way to Monroe and back..."

"Yes...about the weather; and your boys; and your boyfriend; and your job..."

"Yeah, and you didn't get a word in edgewise, so...we talked," she said nervously as she got her purse from the the little table by the door.

"Holly...Holly? Are you afraid of me?" he asked her, the hurt in his voice more than evident and punctuated even further by his lovely English accent.

"No, Nicholas—I'm afraid of me..." she said with a sad look as she bolted past him and out of the door; she stopped just at the top of the short steps and looked over her shoulder at him. "There're some crazy people running around with shotguns shooting supernaturals with the intent to kill them on sight—I haven't heard about any recent shootings, but the threat is real, Nicholas—so far they know exactly who they're gunning for, but you'd do well to stay in at night—or catch the next flight out of here...goodbye." With that Holly rushed to her car and sped off into the glare of the late afternoon sun.

* * *

><p>"Eric Northman."<p>

"Louis Pasteur. Welcome to my home."

"Ah, yes. So, you made it to king, I see—what a comedown that must be for you."

"How so?"

"I always thought you were aiming for world domination."

"You always had me pegged wrong, Louis."

"Did I?"

"I don't really give a fuck."

"Gentlemen—enough," said Reika Wakamatsu as she stepped between the two snarling vampires. "Mr. Pasteur," she addressed the distinguished man first, who looked as if he'd just stepped out the pages of a history book in spite of his modern attire of jeans, T-shirt layered under a hoodie and simple gray blazer and tennis shoes, "you will afford King Northman his due as Monarch of Louisiana and for the graciousness of hosting you in his home." Reika turned away from her charge and spoke to Eric just as brusquely, "King Northman, please kindly show us to the designated area you have prepared for us."

"Of course...please follow me..." Eric escorted her, Pasteur and Carlyle Stiobard out of the great room to a hidden elevator off of the main hall and down to the lowest level of the manor. After they had disappeared from sight Ginger looked at Sabeen and Antanas and tried in vain to mask the concern on her face for her Maker.

"Bad blood, Ginger, that's all..." began Sabeen with a twisted little smile. "Pasteur was very close to Nan Flanagan and he blames Eric for her death—and a host of other things. Rest assured that when this de-briefing is over he will make haste back to Europe and be a thorn in Eric's side no longer."

"I'm sorry, excuse my bad manners, and thank you for that, Sabeen. You've both had a long journey—can I get you anything? Donors? Some other sustenance?" she inquired of them in earnest.

"Nothing for me, dear," said Antanas with a kind smile.

"I'm fine. Come, Ginger...let's sit and catch up, yes?" Sabeen held her hand out to the young vampire.

* * *

><p>"What?" Sookie reacted badly to the news Claudette had just given her. "A were-panther? Alcide told me you had to be born that way, that it wasn't..."<p>

"Were-panthers are different, Sookie—you can be bitten and turned," Claudette assured her sadly.

"Christ on a cracker, I'm never going to get all of this stuff straight! As long as I live I promise that I won't," she said, still in shock.

Sookie had been back in her own body taking in nourishment and news from Claudette and trying to gain better understanding from Queen Mab about Warlow. At that moment they were in the anteroom of the Queen's chambers making plans for her return to Bon Temps.

"How long have I been here this time?" she asked the Queen.

"Time works very differently on the astral plane, Sookie, even more differently than it does here in Faery but in Earth time it's only been a few days," Queen Mab told her.

"Has Jason turned yet? I need to see him—I need to be there for him," Sookie said in a panic.

"He hasn't turned yet, Sookie...you're still in time," Claudette told her.

"Okay...okay—there's a lot to do and I can't seem to get my thoughts straight," Sookie said, more to herself than anyone else as she paced the cobblestone floor between Queen Mab and Claudette.

"Are you quite sure you're ready to go back, Sookie?" Claudette asked her delicately as she went and stood next to Queen Mab.

Sookie stopped dead in her tracks and looked at both women squarely; the look on her face was more than an answer to the question.

* * *

><p>"What the hell are we doing here, sister? I can't believe you brought me to this place..." said Lettie Mae who was more than a little frightened at being at Fangtasia. Chow had let them in with a smile, especially for Ruby Jean who had been a frequent guest since Tara had become a vampire.<p>

"Come in ladies—I'm happy to see you. Ruby Jean, may I escort you to your usual table?" Chow offered one arm to her and the other to Lettie Mae and walked them over to a table in a corner near the throne.

"One of the best seats in the house, sister—and the safest..." Ruby Jean whispered to her sister. "Thank you, Chow."

"Not a lot of people in the house—it's kind of early. May I get you ladies a drink?"

"Two mint juleps, please?" Ruby Jean ordered for them both.

"Certainly," Chow smiled down at them and winked at Ruby Jean.

"Ruby Jean Reynolds, if you think I'm having a drink in here..." Lettie Mae began indignantly, "think I'm gonna be up in here without my faculties? Well, you have another think coming."

A waitress brought their drinks and Ruby Jean paid and tipped her generously.

"Shut up, Lettie Mae and drink it—you gonna need it..." Ruby Jean nodded toward the entrance and when Lettie Mae saw who walked in she did exactly that.

* * *

><p>Pasteur sat stone-faced across the cold black marble conference table and glared at Reika and Carlyle.<p>

"I don't understand, Louis—why all of this animosity?" asked Reika, more than perturbed at his insolent attitude.

Pasteur leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, still glowering at them.

"Enough of this, Louis—for I don't care at all about what it is that angers you—you're sure that you never came upon the formula for synthesizing fairy blood?" Stiobard demanded furiously.

"I've told you both a hundred times already this evening, Carlyle—no—whatever knowledge Claude discovered died with him. And I'm glad I never discovered it—all of this ridiculous desire of a greedy few to walk in the sun simply sickens me and I would never have anything to do with such an endeavor. I was duped by Claude and Octavian Valerius and forced against my will to co-operate; I spent the majority of my time silvered in a coffin and was brought out under heavy guard when Claude had need of my assistance. When my experiments continued to yield negative results I was packed away like grandmother's china and thought I was going to go mad from starvation," he told them indignantly.

"And you hadn't been suspicious at all of the directives coming at you from Nan over the internet before then? Didn't find it unusual not to speak with her in person or at least on the phone?" Reika asked him incredulously.

"This is the Twenty-first century, or hadn't you noticed, Reika? I haven't set eyes on Nan Flanagan since, roughly 1984; I was busy with the Japanese then and wasn't contacted by her again until 1996—by then all of our work-related communication was strictly via secure e-mail; our most personal conversations—as extremely rare as they were—were via telephone. So no, it was not something out of the ordinary to recieve direction from her in such a manner."

"And you know nothing of Benjamin Pope?"

"Nothing—never heard his name mentioned. May I remind you that, in all of my few dealings with Claude, Octavian Valerius never in my presence, let alone any of his henchmen; it was only Claude and frightened fairy hybrids and human guards armed to the teeth with rifles bearing wooden, silver-tipped bullets."

"Alright, fine. I'm satisfied, Carlyle, and ready to file my report," Reika said then, more than irritated with Pasteur.

"As am I. We can call this over now, Louis. I'm sorry for the manner in which you have been involved in this horrible affair," Carlyle offered sincerely.

"Thank you," Pasteur replied stiffly and glowered then at Reika.

"What now?" she blew up at him.

"Monarch? Really? When he's responsible for all of this?"

"He is not responsible for all of it, Louis, and you know it. And if you have such a problem with it take it up with Chancellor Manners."

"Maybe I shall do just that, Reika," he threatened.

"Look, I know that you're upset about Nan, but we've lost many that have been important—and not only that, but close—to us. We have to move on—we must find and neutralize Benjamin Pope. I know this has been difficult for you, Louis, thank you for your assistance and your service to the True Cause."

"Save your thanks and get me out of this abominable building," he shot back at her as he rose angrily from his seat.

* * *

><p>After Lettie Mae chugged her drink and wiped her mouth on a napkin she looked back at her sister in disbelief.<p>

"Hi, Ruby Jean..Lettie Mae—I'm so glad to see y'all..."

The two sisters rose from the table and hugged Sookie who had come in come in with Claudette and was then standing at their table.

"Sookie! Claudette! Ruby Jean, why didn't you tell me?" asked Lettie Mae, still in shock.

"Quiet down, Lettie Mae. We're here on a mission..now sit down and listen," her sister instructed her.

"You didn't tell her, Ruby Jean?" Sookie asked her when she and Claudette sat down.

"If I had she never would have come and I had a hard enough time as it was getting her this far. Besides, I thought it would be better if she heard it all from your lips, anyway. I'm so glad you're better, baby."

"I am, thank you so much," Sookie smiled at her warmly. "Okay, here's the deal, Lettie Mae..."

Twenty minutes later Lettie Mae was sitting at the table in more shock than before, her mouth practically on the floor as she motioned the waitress for another drink. After it came and she had gulped it down she stared at her three companions.

"Ruby Jean, I ain't had the power in I don't know how long—I don't know how y'all think I can help..."

"You can Lettie Mae; it needs to be two of us—we can do this, all you have to do is say a few words and believe in them, and I know you do because you had the gift once and you know it ain't no lie," Ruby Jean told her firmly. Chow walked over to them then.

"Ladies? Are we ready?"

"We're ready," said Sookie for all of them as she rose from the table; she ushered the other ladies up, as well, and then they all followed Chow down to the dungeon.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry about Pasteur, Eric," said Reika when she joined her host back upstairs in the great room.<p>

"I don't care—if I never see him again it will be too soon."

"Well, he's left here—that should please you," said Carlyle then.

"It does—immensely. Sit, relax, both of you. I hope you had success with him."

"As much as was possible. Sabeen...Antanas—you both still have your work cut out for you abroad," Reika said to them as she took a seat.

"As was to be expected. So, what's next here?" Antanas asked her.

"Well, after we file our reports Borys will be able to proceed in meeting with Secretary Dowling; Jhoro and Jake will be able to hold the meeting of the Continental Monarchs. Eric, what is the status on the vigilantes here and in Bon Temps?" Reika asked him.

"The investigation is stepping up, thanks to Sam and Sookie's brother, who's the Deputy Sheriff of Bon Temps—I'm expecting..." Eric suddenly found it hard to concentrate on his own words but continued, a strange, unbelieving look on his face, as if he was hearing something no one else could, "a further break in the case this weekend..." He looked over at the entrance to the room.

"We can only hope for—" Carlyle was cut off by the fractious appearance of Mrs. Mirren as she rushed into the room.

"Begging your pardon, Delegate Stiobard" she nodded at the vampire who was looking curiously at her, "Master Northman, " Mrs. Mirren addressed him, trying desperately to quell her excitement but Eric had already felt her and silenced the woman with a finger to his lips.

All of the vampires looked in her direction and were surprised to see Sookie Stackhouse as she walked quietly into the room behind her.

"Sookie..." he said in a near whisper.

"Sookie!" Sabeen jumped up from her seat and rushed to embrace her, followed closely by Ginger and Antanas; hanging back with very happy smiles on their faces were Carlyle and Reika who wer waiting for Eric to get to her first.

"Hello, everyone—I'm sorry to come in like this, please forgive my..."

"Sookie..." The others broke away from her as he approached; Eric was upon her then, willing himself to ignore all of his impulses to forget everyone in the room and take her into his arms; he stood, towering before her, and kept his calm. "You are...better now?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I am...and I need to talk to you."

"Privately, of course," he dared to smile at her.

"Yes."

"Follow me..." he said as he chastely took her hand. "Excuse us, please," he turned and said to his guests and then led Sookie away.

They were upstairs in one of the many sumptuously appointed bedrooms, sitting on the edge of a canopied bed.

"This one yours?" she asked with a sweet smile.

"No...none of them are mine—I don't sleep here...at least, not yet. I hope that's going to change soon," he took her chin in his hand and raised it to ready her for a kiss.

"Eric, don't. I want to, but it's just going to make this all so much harder."

He drew away from her as a mask seemed to visibly appear out of nowhere upon his cold, smooth face, making him appear as immovable as a marble statue.

"You've made a decision—one that I'm not going to like," he spoke to the air with a faraway gaze.

"Eric, please look at me...please..." she was already crying.

"I know so much more than I did before; I love you with my whole soul Eric—my whole heart—but I can't be your woman, let alone your consort. I am nothing but danger to you; I can't be anything but a problem for you, especially politically. With me around crazy vampires will be gunning for you, always; they'll view you as a weak, bloodbag-loving fool and me being half-fae? Just makes it all a hundred times worse. I can't put you in jeopardy like that. I won't.

"I will love you forever; I'll do anything you ask me, any time you need my help, with anything I can help with—you have it, without question, for as long as I draw breath on this earth. But you being involved with me only puts you at risk and I wouldn't ask you to live that way. I just can't do it." Sookie broke down completely then, great, heaving sobs that were too choked up inside of her to be vocal.

Eric took her into his cold embrace then, knowing in his dead heart that she was right and finding himself not in the least comforted by it. It was a while before she stopped sobbing and was able to find her voice. He spoke before she could.

"So, something very precious to me must be denied. I really have to lose you?"

"You're not losing me..."

"I am losing you—I've lost you," he said sadly, even as he held her tighter.

"But, you're gaining something far more precious than me, Eric." She looked up at him and managed a weak smile.

"Nothing is more precious than you, Sookie," he murmured softly into her hair as he held her.

Sookie shook her head in disagreement as she retrieved her cell phone from he jean pocket and hit a key. Within seconds another was in the room with them. Eric looked up and was momentarily speechless, his face a study in the mechanics of muscular, all-encompassing, utter disbelief.

Sookie held out her hand for the other to come join them.

"Pamela..." he managed at last as she threw herself upon them both, the blood tears streaming down her face.

"Eric..." she got up and sat on the other side of him then clung to him, as if for dear life.

"Sookie...how?" he whipped his head around and looked at her than back at Pam. "Pam? My Pamela?" with his other hand he gripped her head through her soft, long locks and pulled her forehead to his then began to weep happy, shameless tears. Sookie moved to extricate herself from them.

"Sookie, please don't go..."

"You two," Sookie sniffled as she broke away from him, "have a _lot_ of catching up to do. I love you both. Yeah, I said it, Pam," Sookie smiled at her old nemesis.

"I won't tell anybody," Pam said through a choked but happy little chuckle.

"You can do better than that," Sookie scolded her as she wiped some tears away with the back of her hand.

Pam gave her a genuine smile and then tried to get a hold of herself. "I won't tell anybody...you little bitch?" She laughed as she she shook her head at Sookie in apology. "I'll do better next time."

"I'm gonna hold you to it."

"Sookie...you can't leave me without a last kiss..." Eric said as he held his hand out to her. She returned to them on the bed and sat beside him. "I don't know how you did this, but I will love you forever." He kissed her then and Sookie's heart broke all over again. When they broke away from each other and she opened her eyes she found Pam smiling at her, even though her sorrowful eyes were recognizing Sookie's heartbreak; she mouthed her own silent "T_hank you" _at her.

Sookie left them then and quietly slipped past the great room, out of the manor and to her friends waiting to take her home to Jason.


	110. Bedtime Stories

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 110 Bedtime Stories

"Pamela, it is certainly not my intention to look a gift horse in the mouth, but how is this possible?" Eric asked after the two of them had broken away from a long embrace.

"I don't know; something about Marnie's spell, which I wasn't quite released from, intertwined with Antonia Gavilán de Logroño's, which I was...as it wasn't the True Death I've just been in my coffin, a dried-out husk of my former self...dormant..."

"Is that why I never felt you?" he asked, his face masked in great confusion.

"Maybe. I don't know—Sookie explained it to me as I fed from her and Claudette, but I was in shock and ravenous—I didn't understand half of what she was saying," Pam explained through happy blood tears.

"You fed from Sookie and Claudette?"

"Yes, and about twenty humans they had lined up in the dungeon at Fangtasia—Chow..."

"Chow knew about this?"

"Apparently Sookie contacted him just today, Eric; she had to find out where I was buried and needed Ruby Jean Reynolds and Tara's mother to help reverse the spell; they dug me up; Chow glamoured the humans and had them ready for me, to fully supplement my needs—between their blood and the Fae—well, here I am."

"Amazing...absolutely unbelievable." Eric smiled incredulously at her.

"I know, right?"

"There's so much I have to tell you..."

"You know the easiest way to do that...and a little taste of you would help me in more ways than one..." she smiled wickedly at him.

"It would be my pleasure..." Eric said as he leaned closer in to her.

* * *

><p>"Sookie?"<p>

Jason was lying in bed in a fever when he saw her apparition in the doorway of the bedroom and called out to it; he squinted his eyes to try and clear his vision, but his sister remained in sight.

"Damn," he let out a painful groan, "I'll be glad when this shit is over...now I'm fuckin' hallucinating..." he said worriedly to himself.

"No, you're not, Jason," the apparition spoke softly to him.

"Oh, yes I am...that's real sweet of you to try and make me feel like I'm not crazy, but right now—I kinda am and I know it; I know this is a fever dream and all, but you sure are nice...as nice as my real sister. You go on away now, I think I'm going to sleep," he murmured as his lids began to close over his drowsy eyes. The apparition approached him.

"Jason? Jason, honey—it's not a dream, big brother..." she reached out to him and when Jason felt her tangible touch he jumped as if he had been scalded by hot water.

"What the fuck! Sookie?"

She smiled at him as she sat on the edge of the bed beside him.

"Sook? Is it really you?"

"It's really me."

"You back for good? Please tell me you're back for good..." he said as he rose up to give her a hug.

"I'm back for a while—I had to come back and help see you through this."

"How did you know?"

"Queen Mab watches everything—she only even let me come back because I'm better, but even if I wasn't...nothing could have stopped me, Jason."

"You're better? Really?"

She nodded her head happily 'Yes' at him with a big smile on her face.

"You've only been gone a few days—has it even been a week? It feels like forever."

"I know, to me, too. But I'm here, now. We can talk if you want—or not...you look like you were finally about to get some sleep, sweetie."

"I was...I am—I can, now that you're here."

"Good, sweetie—get some sleep and we'll talk when you wake up, okay?"

"Deal."

"Can I get you anything before you drop off? I can go get a cool towel to put to your head," she said as she rose to go; Jason stopped her.

"You stay right where you are, baby sister—you bein' here is all I need right now, you hear me?"

Sookie smiled at him as she watched him settle himself back upon the bed and drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p>In Canary Wharf, London, two vampires sat high atop One Canada Square, surveying the city far below them.<p>

"Shouldn't you be getting yourself to ground right about now?"

"Probably—as should you."

"Why don't you give it up, old boy? That ship, as they say, has already sailed. It's bad enough that there's a bounty on your head—what can you possibly hope to accomplish now?"

"American vampires may suffer from delusions, but European vampires know better. And there's still the Islamic and South American problem—they still hunt us in those countries; Africa's got it right, though."

"What do you mean? They don't even recognize that vampires exist, in the whole of the African Continent..."

"And that's a good thing—anonymity has always been a perfect friend to us. We simply must return to simpler times, my friend, there is no other way to exist on this planet otherwise."

"So you say."

"Yes, I say—and so do many others. America is a cancer; a plague on the rest of the world and American vampires are infected and afflicted and all too caught up in the twisted human politics that have festered and oozed contamination to the rest of the world. Octavian Valerius was right; and this whole VRA abomination represents but a pin-prick in time—for Millennia no such edict was necessary and vampires existed as they were meant to—we will return to those times, you mark my words."

"I'd rather see you survive into the next few thousand years yourself, Benjamin. Will you not stop this madness now, while you still have the opportunity to make that a reality for me?"

"You are my progeny and therefore biased. I'm sorry that we don't agree on this, Eugenio, but you, most of all, should understand me."

"I do, Benjamin, you know that I do. I just don't want you to end up like Valerius."

"I promise you that I will not, my love."

* * *

><p>"Bill, you are <em>not<em> gonna believe who I just got a call from—or maybe you already know?" Tara eyed him suspiciously as she came down the stairs to their room.

"I did feel her," Bill smiled at his love. He had been going over some new reports regarding Benjamin Pope who had allegedly been recently spotted in Istanbul.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She took the manila file folder from him and swatted at him lightly.

"Do it again and you will be sorry," he warned her seductively.

"Promise?" she cooed at him as she took him into her embrace.

"Oh, yes..." he murmured at her. "So, what did she say?"

"Well, she just got back from Faery; she's better; she broke it off with Eric..."

That news surprised Bill greatly; Tara took note of it.

"Yeah. And there's more—Crystal Norris bit Jason—he'll be making his first transformation into a were-panther on the next full moon."

Bill was taken aback and speechless.

"Yeah. She came back from Faery to be with him. And there's even more, apparently—she wants us to call Eric."

"For what?" he asked her as he finally found his voice.

"Damn if I know, she didn't say," Tara answered him, as bewildered as he was. "We have time to call him now..."

"No...I think we should wait—we need to...go to ground," he growled at her.

"Aren't you even curious?"

"Of course I am, but if Sookie saw fit to tease you with that little directive I will take the chance at guessing that it relates to some sort of pleasant news rather than bad," Bill smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Are you sure you don't know something you're not telling me?" she accused him with a little smirk.

"I assure you. Have you read your copy of this?" he asked her then as he took his file from her.

"Oh yeah, I read it—the fucker sure gets around," she groaned.

"We do not even know if it is actually him."

"So when are we heading out? And will we start in Bern or Istanbul?"

"We will investigate Istanbul first, since that is location of the last sighting."

"Are we gonna wait for Sabeen and Antanas to come back?"

"I think not—Sarah and Trey need to get their feet wet—Shashen'Ka assures me that they are more than ready. And I believe it's going to be a lovely night in Bebek tomorrow night."

"Yeah, well, I'm not real thrilled about going to a Muslim country," she said worriedly.

"That vampires are not welcomed in all corners of the globe is simply a fact—we will be stealthy and quick, Tara—we will be fine," he assured her.

"Then maybe we should leave the young 'uns behind," she countered.

Bill chuckled lightly. "No, I trust Shashen'Ka's judgement as surely as I trust you with my existence. No more arguments, now—we have two hours to sunrise...I am open to suggestions as to how we can make the best use of them..." he said as he led her to their bed.


	111. Brotherhood

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 111—Brotherhood

"Sook..Sookie..." Jason called his sleeping sister's name softly; in her chair next to the bed she stirred, mumbling incoherently in her sleep; Jason got quietly out of the bed and approached her lightly then knelt at her feet as he looked up lovingly at her and whispered her name. "Sookie, sweetheart..." Her eyelids fluttered and a little frown formed on her face as she opened her eyes.

"Jason? Jason!" she was instantly alarmed. "Oh, my God—are you okay? What's wrong? Get back in bed, honey, and tell me what you..."

"Calm down, sis, I'm okay—I was trying not to startle you," he said as he reached out a hand to her; Sookie took it into her own two hands and pressed it to her cheek.

"Oh, Jason...my sweet, sweet, Jason—I had horrible dreams...horrible, horrible dreams—but you're alright...we're both alright..."

"Yes, we are, Sook...you're awake now, forget those nightmares..."

"What time is it? What in blazes are you doing out of bed?" she asked him then, her face contorted in confusion. "Get back..."

"I'm fine, Sook; the worst of it always seems to be at sundown; I thrash around in pain for a time, but after I finally get to sleep, well I wake up, right about now—two or three in the morning—and I feel invincible...I'm fine, honey—thirsty as all hell, but I'm good," he assured her with a smile.

"Well, let me go get you something to drink then," she made to get up but Jason held her fast.

"We'll go together—Miss Ruby Jean's been keeping the fridge stocked with Gator-Ade—right now I just want to look at you; I know you've only been gone a few days but this time it feels more like forever, even more than it did the last time."

"I know, right?" Jason rose up and the happy siblings hugged each other. "What a life this is, huh?" she said incredulously as she gave herself over to his embrace; she could feel Jason nod his agreement and all of a sudden the flood of tears broke like a dam.

"Oh, now darlin'...come on..." he cooed at her. "It's just one more thing, Sookie—how much have we been through?" he asked her as he smiled into her hair.

"One mo...more...more thing?" she managed through her sobs, "are you...shittin' me? Crystal Norris has turned you into a we...were-panther, Jason!" she said through her sniffles and choked little hiccups. Jason smiled to himself.

"Yeah...one more night to go and that'll totally be true."

Sookie broke away from him, taken aback by the smile in his voice and then the sight of the smile on his face. "And you're happy about this?"

"Well, it kinda seems like it was my destiny, Sook. I knew when I went to see her that night...Crystal, I mean...that I was walking towards something; a change; a shift in my life..." he began slowly, as if he was just coming to the full realization for the first time.

"What in the world do you mean?"

"I've been feeling—I don't know—unfinished, is the only way I can describe it—ever since Crystal and Felton started in on me that first night, when they held me hostage. I was absolutely crazy when I escaped them—she told me I would change; I was a wreck with the waiting for it and it never happened. And when it didn't? Well, damned if I wasn't more than a little disappointed, Sook. I don't know how to explain it, but I wanted to be special—like you..."

"Jason, you are..."

Jason cut her off with a finger to her lips. "I know that, now; and I know it doesn't have anything," he shook his head emphatically, "to do with being supernatural: not were, or vampire, or fairy, or human—it's all about what's in here..." he put his hand to her heart and then his own. "It's always been about that," he smiled at her.

"Crystal lied to me, Sook—Corbett and Michelle are full panther, and now—well, soon—I will be, too. On one hand, it wouldn't have mattered a damn to me one way or the other; at the same time, it means everything to me that we'll be the same; as a father, I'll be able to understand them that much better; love them that much better. Hell, I ain't got all the words, Sook, can't begin to describe everything that I feel—not about them or what's happening to me—about you; when Crystal took me I didn't really try to fight her off, not really—I gave myself over to her embrace; as crazy as it sounds, she took me out of love; I embraced my fate, I didn't run from it. I know in my heart that if I had really wanted to get away from her she would have let me go."

"Are you telling me that the two of you are going to...get back together?"

"No, I ain't saying that—that girl's got a heap of problems I don't think anybody can help her with, least of all, me; and she's caused me some awful incredible pain—and some joy, too, right down the hall asleep in their cribs. I'm gonna pray for her, Sookie, but I can't never be with her—the pain and the pleasure is all rolled-up in a big ball of mess and I wouldn't ever be able to separate it...I just...I just don't see a way for that. But every night since she bit me it's only become clearer to me that this was meant to be; I don't question it and I don't regret it. I don't want you to regret it, either."

"Oh , Jason, never...never, big brother," she assured him as fresh tears began to course down her cheeks, "I love you so much..."

"Ditto, little sister. Come on, now...let's dry those up, sweetheart..." Jason grabbed a Kleenex from the box on the night table and dabbed lightly at the corners of her eyes.

"You're really okay right now?"

"Oh, hell yeah. I feel stronger every night; stranger..." his voice trailed away wistfully.

"Are you...afraid of what's going to happen when you...transform? How it's going to feel?" she asked him delicately.

"Hell yeah," he said so honestly that a light chuckle erupted from them both. "Come on, I got a lot to tell you about the vigilante case and a crap-load of other stuff," he said as he rose to standing and held out his hand to her.

"I broke it off with Eric tonight, Jason...before I came home to see you...for good," she blurted out then, as if she still couldn't believe she had done it; a new veil of sadness descended upon her sweet face.

"Sookie...honey...why?" he asked her then, his heart breaking over the evidence of her own.

"I've learned some pretty disturbing things this time around in Faery; and you know the heart of the problem between mainstreaming vampires and those that feel as Octavian Valerius and Russell Edgington did—and they were just heads on the Hydra—vampires and fairies just spell trouble for the whole world, Jason; Eric and I can never be."

"Oh, honey..." he hugged her to him.

"Come on...you need to hydrate and I need a drink, my damn self..." Jason gave her a look. "Oh no—don't you dare look at me like that," she said after she blew her nose. "It's always cocktail hour somewhere in the world..." she smiled weakly at him, trying desperately to keep her composure as she took his hand and led him downstairs.

* * *

><p>While Jason and Sookie were seated at her kitchen table catching each other up on the news, an even happier reunion was taking place in Shreveport.<p>

"Eric, what is it?" Pam asked him under her breath when he hesitated before entering the great room.

"Sookie...she's with her brother..."

"Is she alright?"

"She will be," he replied stoically.

When they entered the room Eric's guests were all at ease, seated and engaged in conversation; Chow, looking like the cat who'd swallowed the canary, stood near the hearth and was facing the entryway, waiting. The first to look up and see them enter was Ginger; her piercing scream of unbridled joy threatened to shatter every mullioned window in the manor and caused the other vampires to put their hands to their ears in distress; they watched her disappear from them with her vampire speed and reappear before Eric and the unknown vampire at his side.

"Pam! Pam!" Ginger embraced Pam as blood tears streamed down her face. "How? How? Where have you been? Fuck, I don't care—my sister!" she embraced her then. Pam kept her composure but was inwardly very happy to see Ginger, as well, and hugged her warmly.

"Everyone—" Eric addressed all of the intrigued vampires in the room, "this is Pamela Swynford De Beaufort: my progeny...and Royal Consort of Louisiana. She has been...away..." he looked at Pam and then back to face all of the surprised eyes staring at them both, "and is now returned to us—please extend her your welcome and support," he concluded officiously.

"Delegate Carlyle Stiobard," Eric announced to Pam as he approached.

"Well, well, King Northman—you are full of the most astounding surprises," said Carlyle Stiobard as he approached and took the back of Pam's hand graciously to his lips and kissed it. "Madam, my pleasure."

"And mine, as well, Delegate Stiobard," she smiled at him.

"Delegate Reika Wakamatsu," Eric announced the Japanese beauty to her next.

"I have heard legendary tales about you, my dear. That you rise like the Phoenix from the ashes is no surprise to me. Very happy to make your acquaintance and congratulations to you," Reika gave her a little curtsey and a sincere smile to her and Eric both.

"Thank you, Delegate Wakamatsu."

Sabeen and Antanas approached next.

"There are not enough words, Pam to express the honor and privilege we all share in calling these two extraordinary vampires our mentors and friends: Sabeen Zaya and Antanas Valinsky," Eric introduced them.

"Hello, my dear." As was her way, Sabeen gave her a strong maternal hug; Antanas gave her a chaste kiss to her cheek. Pam was overwhelmed by their humanity, that exuded from them like a pure force of power—unlike Godric, who had been lost and misguided, and had worn his like a suffocating shroud—and their magnificent age, which, secretly, she had never believed was truly obtainable; she dropped immediately to her knees before them and bowed her head.

Eric, standing emotionless beside her was smiling with pure pride inside of himself.

"No, my dear—we are comrades—rise up, now, for we have many stories to tell you before we depart for Belarus," Sabeen smiled at her as she pulled her up.

"Yes, indeed. Unfortunately, you've missed an audience with Louis Pasteur," Antanas joked; all of the other vampires laughed except Eric and Carlyle.

"Hold that thought, Antanas—I got a call from Jake Hutchence not half an hour ago—Pasteur is at Authority headquarters, bitching to Chancellor Manners as we speak."

"Yes, there is much to discuss before dawn," Eric concurred then, "and soon you will meet the other delegates, Pam, including Chancellor Manners...and my sister, Nora. Let's get to it, shall we?" he asked of them all.

As they all made their way back to the seating area Ginger accosted Chow, who had been standing by silently. "You devil! How long have you known about this?"

"I only found out the plan tonight, Ginger—believe me, I am still in just as much shock as you are," he beamed at her.

Sabeen stopped Eric momentarily, as well. "Eric, dare I ask what happened to our dearest Sookie—of course she had a hand in this—why is she not here to celebrate with us?"

"Sookie endeavors to make sure that the world stays safe—from despotic supernaturals and humans alike—she will not risk our safety, Sabeen. Ever."

Sabeen was not fooled by his dead words and officious resolve; she nodded her head at him in complete understanding and dared only to rest her hand reassuringly upon his shoulder for a moment before she walked away from him to join the others and get down to the business at hand.

* * *

><p>As the sun began to rise over Bon Temps Sookie and Jason stared at each other across the kitchen table.<p>

"You've been promised in marriage to a demon?" he asked her incredulously for the third time.

"It's not a real marriage...and he's not exactly a demon, he's a..."

"He's a demon," Jason said very definitely, unwilling to entertain further debate.

"Bud Dearborne...is the leader of the Obamas?"

"We don't know that for sure yet, but if he's not the leader he damn sure is in league with her—at least, we think it's a 'her'..."

"Do I really have to stop drinking now?" she asked him as she picked her bottle of Southern Comfort up and stared longingly at it.

"Well, it would be kinda nice if you were sober when everybody comes down for breakfast," he smiled at her.

"That ship has already sailed, big brother."

They both chuckled but Jason took the bottle gently away from her. "Yeah, well, let's try to steer it back to port, huh?" He rose from the table and put the bottle away high up in the cupboard.

"I'll tell you one thing..." Sookie said as she rose from the table to start a pot of coffee.

"What?"

"I'm glad Tara is not here to see Nicholas Mott in all of his Franklin-looking glory."

"I hear you. Do you think she still has those emotions, though? I mean, as a vampire now, do you think it would hurt the same way it would if she was still human?"

"Tara still loves, Jason; and she still hates. I don't think it would matter, either way—she'd probably kill him on GP."

"You really think so? He is an innocent."

"Yeah, well it sounds like you were ready to take his innocent ass out first and ask questions later, yourself, big brother," she said as she got a skillet from a cabinet and then some bacon from the fridge.

"Yeah, he freaked me the fuck out, but I thought..."

"I know what you thought—anybody would think it—that was human. But she would have known—and I don't think that would have helped him one bit. You don't like him, do you?"

"Hell, I don't know him enough to like him or not like him. He is pretty interested in Holly, though; I know he's sticking around town because of her. I know she doesn't think I even noticed, but I did," he told her as he got some eggs out of the fridge and a bowl from the cupboard.

"You barely have time to eat breakfast now, let alone make any—let me get that, hon, while you go get dressed..."

"No, I got it; I think there's going to be a fair amount of fainting around here when the kids get up and Miss Maxine sees you—you're gonna need somebody to help catch their fall. I can be a little late to work," he assured her.

"You're really okay to go to work?"

"Yeah—I got a helluva a lot done yesterday and got home in plenty of time to, you know, salt myself away. Tonight is the night, Sook; and tomorrow night me and Sam and Alcide will be on a stake-out—we're gonna get to the bottom of this vigilante thing once and for all—I can feel it."

"I'm really glad you confided in Sam, Jason."

"Hell, it wasn't like I had a choice—he could smell it on me. Now Alcide knows—I feel like I'm part of a brotherhood."

Sookie stopped what she was doing at the stove and turned toward her brother with a loving smile on her face. "You are. And you're all the best men I know."

* * *

><p>"Sarah...Trey...you are both more than ready for your first assignment," Shashen'Ka assured them as they sat across from her at her desk. "You've fed sufficiently?"<p>

They both answered her "Yes."

"Alright. It's a two-and-a-half hour flight from here to Bakirköy, near Bebek; you both look fairly human, but where you're going is to a yacht docked along the Bosphorus seaside; you've read the file; you know the situation between humans and vampires in that region—this is an in and out mission—either Pope is there or he isn't. He wants to draw you somewhere dangerous and he has the upper hand because the vampires there know him and you're working against them and Muslims in the region that want absolutely nothing to do with us—except to kill us. We wouldn't be sending you in if we didn't think you could handle it and your jobs primarily are to cover Bill and Tara; you're dealing with contemporary vampires, so this is a guns and ammo situation, which you've got plenty of, but you're trained to be ready for anything. We don't dare fly in an Anubis jet so your chartered jet is waiting, staffed with Anubis personnel, of course. Bill and Tara are already waiting for you on board and you'll be seeing them in approximately fifteen minutes. Any questions before you go?"

"No, we're ready," said Trey with confidence.

"I'm ready, Shashen'Ka—we won't let you down." said Sarah, feeling confident, as well. "And thank you both so much...for everything."

Trey nodded his heartfelt thanks at them, as well.

"Very good, comrades. Good luck. We'll see you later tonight," she said as she rose from her seat to escort them to the door.

Victor rose from his seat beside her and said to them what he always said at such times, simply and with intense reserve, "Just come back to us—that is all the thanks we need."

* * *

><p>Tara was on edge as soon as they landed on the private airfield near Bakirköy.<p>

"What is it, Tara?" Bill asked her quietly.

"I feel what I felt when we landed in Frankfurt—pure danger," she answered him just as quietly.

"Bebek is thirty minutes away from here—on foot we will be there in less than half that time; we are looking for a hundred and fifty-foot white yacht—the _Avrupa—_we need to be wisps of smoke in the fog, people; Tara and I will go below deck and you and Trey will cover us from above; give us fifteen minutes to search the boat and then we are out—got it?"

"Yes," the others said in unison.

"And if he's actually there? Then what?" Trey asked the question that they were all thinking.

"We will deal with him," Bill said simply as he gave them all a stern look. "Alright, secure your weapons...follow me..." With that they all disappeared into the night.

They followed Bill's lead and had indeed spotted and slipped onto the luxurious, custom Palmer Johnson yacht quite unnoticed by the humans populating the busy shore of the Bosphorus. Sarah and Trey manned the sun deck as Bill and Tara headed immediately below to check the staterooms and the crews quarters where they found no one. Suddenly they heard loud thumps above deck, as if something heavy had landed roughly on board; then they heard the sound of the anchor being hoisted up.

"This fucking tub is moving, Bill," Tara said in alarm; they both drew their weapons, each squinting one-eyed through their scopes as they aimed frantically at all breachable entrances before they settled on the steps leading from the main deck. Before Bill could say a word to her they both saw Sarah and Trey being pushed down the very steps where their weapons were trained; they saw wisps of smoke trailing behind them as they realized that the two wincing and weakened vampires were shackled in silver with their hands behind their backs.

Prodding his captives downward was a mild-mannered looking man, his thick black hair crowning his head in a halo of loose, long wavy curls; his affable and youthful face erupted in an even more affable smile, as well as his twinkling eyes.

"What the fuck? Rain Man's son is one of us, too?" Tara grunted disgustedly through her ever-steady aim.

"I take that as a compliment, Miss Thornton, but you really want to put those guns down—these two are far too lovely to lose, don't you think?"

"Let them go," she demanded of him.

"I think you know that your demands are more than impotent? Please, tell me that you know that," he goaded her. "You should also know that if I meant to kill you all of you would be destroyed already." The vampire's affable smile disappeared and was replaced with a chilling sneer. "Put your weapons down. Now."

Bill obeyed and gave a look to Tara, who grudgingly did the same.

"That's better." He pushed Sarah and Trey on down the steps and away from him. "Go on—join your comrades." Trey and Sarah rushed to where Bill and Tara stood; Tara delicately unsilvered them, never taking her eyes off of their nemesis.

"Benjamin Pope," Bill leveled the vampire's name at him then.

"The one and only."

"Why are we putting out to sea? Where are you taking us?" Bill demanded of him.

"I think that you are all aware of where you are? This is a beautiful country, full of beautiful people. And none of these people like vampires. They hunt vampires, here; why, the main airport you were so careful to steer clear of employs specialists, you know; trained to detect, detain and destroy vampires on sight. There are no laws to protect you here. I and many others intend to have it stay that way."

"You motherfucker..." Tara spit the words out at him.

"Your temper is legendary, Miss Thornton, but you would do well to shut the fuck up and hear me out. That is not a request—nor is it up for debate." Pope stared her down.

Tara's jaws clenched tightly shut as she shot the vampire daggers with her eyes.

"Good. Now then, to answer your question from before, Mister Compton—I'm taking you to...safety. So that we may...talk. I have intelligence—and a message—that I need you to take back to your American Authority, you see, and I need you all to listen to me.

"First and foremost you all need to understand that I am _not _Octavian Valerius; but when you hear what I have to tell you it will become quite clear that even _he_ was your brother, not your enemy. And we do have enemies, let us be very clear about that."

"And just who are these enemies?" Bill dared to ask him.

"Denial. Such a tragic disease. Deep in your dead heart you know who they are, Compton, but I'll indulge you. All of you—sit...please. I promise that after you've heard me out _we_ will be enemies no longer."


	112. Not Of It

_**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed. I think I'm going to lose some of you now that the show is coming back **: )** but i hope I've kept you entertained, at least. It's still a work in progress, hope anybody will still enjoy it. I can't wait to see how far off my idea about Warlow is lol. **Kceniya**, thank you for tuning back in and your kind words (your Lorena fic is beautiful, btw!) and **Jamille Shane**—you kept me going, either through your encouragement or your lovely stories, that I often revisit and allow myself to get lost in—your writing truly transports one to another world, it just blows me away, really, and always feels like I'm visiting old friends. Anyway, new show tomorrow night—Happy Season 6, everybody!_

* * *

><p>I own nothing.<p>

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 112 Not Of It

It had been a happy morning in, what Jason and Sookie both still considered to be, Gran's house. Timbo and Becky had been ecstatic to see Sookie standing at the kitchen table over steaming hot plates of their lovingly-prepared breakfast and their hugs and kisses had gone around long enough for the food to grow cold; and Jason was sure that the smiles elicited from Michelle and Corbett at Sookie were smiles of recognition. Miss Maxine, true to Jason's prediction, did indeed faint at the sight of his sister; with Jason's ever-burgeoning super-human strength he had caught her easily and carried her, light as a feather in his arms, to the couch where Sookie ministered to her with a cold compress and a smile. Word had spread quickly that she was home and Hadley had already called and made a date to meet Jason and Sookie for lunch at Merlotte's. Ruby Jean, Lettie Mae and Claudette sat on the porch swing, enjoying the cool morning air and caught up with one another as they swayed to the happy sounds of the morning, which was a harmonious mix of the blue birds and sparrows chirping noisily at each other in the pecan trees and the happy family reunited inside.

At work the day had been a busy one for Jason, and tinged with excitement and fear over what the full moon had in store for him later that night. He's managed to concentrate on his job, but just barely, as he wrote up some reports, closed a few cases and went out on a couple of calls. By noon he was hungry, anxious and feeling completely beside himself and knew, that as far as work was concerned, he was a done deal. He couldn't get to Merlotte's to meet Sookie and Hadley soon enough.

When he arrived they were both already at a booth talking to Holly, who seemed nervous and little off her game.

"Jason! Over here!" Hadley waved at him.

"Hey Holly," he smiled at her. "Hey, cousin!" he gave Hadley a hug and a kiss to her cheek. "How are Remy and Hunter?"

"Hey," she beamed at him. "Sit down, already..." She scooted over to let him in. "They're just fine! Remy really likes his new job; Hunter is doing great in school and we're all loving the new house. I'm so happy I could burst."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about," he smiled happily at his cousin. "Hey, Sook..." he took her hand from across the table and gave it a loving squeeze.

"Hey."

"Hey, Jason. These two fine ladies have ordered—what can I get you today?" She looked at her order pad but when Jason began to speak her eyes veered away to the man leaning on the bar counter watching her intently.

"That'll do it," Jason said presently.

"What?" Holly asked as her head whipped around and she snapped back at attention.

"Holly, you okay?" Jason asked her then.

"Uh, yeah...sure...now you ordered..."

"My favorite, sweetheart: two double cheeseburgers—well-done, with everything—fries and a Tall Boy," he repeated with a concerned look on his face; he followed Holly's wandering gaze and then understood everything. "Holly, is Nicholas Mott bothering you, honey?"

At the sound of his name Sookie was drawn away from her conversation with Hadley.

"No, he's just as nice as he can be," she said nervously.

"Well, what's the problem? You look scared as a a cat at the dog pound, sweetheart..."

"It's just that Andy is gonna walk in here any minute and Nicholas...let's just say Nicholas is someone I'm gonna have to explain to him."

"Tell him to leave," Jason suggested adamantly.

"Tried that."

"Then I'll tell him to leave," he offered.

"No, see, he's waiting for me to go on break and later he wants to take me to dinner. And I want to go with him, Jason," she admitted awkwardly.

"Oh...well..." Jason had no other words for her.

"Yeah, I know. Okay, well, I got your order—I'll be right back with your drinks..." she said and then hurried away.

"Oh my God," Sookie whispered at Jason.

"I know, right?" he whispered back at her,

"What? What is it? Why are we whispering?" Hadley whispered at them both.

"Spitting image—I feel like someone just walked over my grave," Sookie cut her eyes away from Nicholas before he could catch her looking at him. He saw Jason and waved. Jason waved back.

"Who is he?" Hadley asked them both; Sookie explained him to her.

"Poor Andy," Hadley shook her head then.

"What do you mean 'Poor Andy'?" Jason asked her with a touch of insult registered in his voice.

"Well, look at him! He cuts quite the dashing figure—I'm just sayin'. I don't blame the woman one bit." Just then Holly returned with their drink orders.

"Two iced sun teas and one Tall Boy—be right back with your lunch, folks..." she scurried away to another table.

"Oh shit—here comes trouble," said Hadley; she nodded her head toward the door before she took a long sip of her tea and they all watched as Andy passed right by Nicholas at the bar and take a seat at his favorite table, which was between the bar and the entrance to the kitchen.

"Fuck," said Jason under his breath.

Holly came then with their lunch orders.

"Here y'all go. Bon appetite..." she rushed away again to deliver another order and then they saw her go to Andy.

"Here it comes..." Hadley whispered.

"Oh, calm down, everybody. These are three grown-ass adults we're talkin' about here—I think Holly can handle herself alright. We have other things to talk about," Sookie said then.

"Let's hope so," said Hadley as she dug into her plate of spaghetti.

"Jason, how's work been so far?"

"Fine, but I'm toast now. I'm going on home when I leave here. I'll pick the kids up today—I already called Lettie Mae."

"I'll go with you."

"Cool."

"Sookie, are you back to stay?" Hadley asked her.

"About that...hold on to your seat, sweetheart, I have something to tell you..."

* * *

><p>Back in his office Sam was on the desk phone with Zola.<p>

"Yeah? You promise?" He heard a knock on his door. "Hey, hold on, sweetheart, somebody's at the door...you just hold that thought for me..." he put his hand over the receiver. "Yeah?" he called out.

"Sam, you needs to get yo ass out here, right now—Andy Bellefleur done lost his damn mind," Lafayette told him through the door.

"Honey, I got trouble outside—I'll see you tonight...be tired," he smiled into the phone. He hung up reluctantly. "Fuck, what now," he muttered disgustedly to himself under his breath as he hurried out.

* * *

><p>"Wow. That was a mess, wasn't it?" Holly said awkwardly to the man sitting in the car next her. He only smiled at her. "C'mon now, say something, already."<p>

"I'm not sorry."

"Well, hell, I know you're not. But I should be ashamed of myself. That man loves me," she said then, her voice full of real anguish.

"This man right here likes you a hell of a lot, if that counts for anything."

Holly turned in her seat and looked at him. "What am I doing here with you, Nicholas?"

He turned to face her. "I think that you know the answer to that one, love."

"Did you have to hit him?"

"That bloke was a total nutter—I can understand how he felt, but I had to protect myself, Holly. I did hold back," Nicholas said apologetically.

"He did, too—he could have shot you," she informed him matter-of-factly.

"I thought you said he wasn't a deputy any longer."

"He's not, but he still carries a gun."

"I'll make sure to remember that..." Nicholas said as he leaned dangerously closer in to her. "It's almost midnight Holly—are we going to sit out here all night or are we going to go into that fine Shreveport hotel and check in to our room, love?"

Holly blushed her answer at him.

"Ah, very good—to our room, then..."

* * *

><p>"Jason? Jason?" Sookie called through the bedroom door softly.<p>

"Just...just...I'm okay..." Jason grunted from behind the door, just audibly enough for her to hear.

"Timbo will take care of him, aunt Sookie," Becky reassured her. "It's his first turn, and all—he probably doesn't want to scare you..."

"Yeah," Sookie let out a choked little gasp. "Now's not the time for an audience, right?"

"I know you're worried—he'll be alright," Becky tried to soothe her further.

"Does it...hurt? Such a stupid question, it's gotta hurt, right?" Sookie asked, more of herself than of Becky.

"I won't lie to you—the first time hurts like nothing you've ever known. But my sisters—the ones that had babies, always said it was like childbirth—it would hurt like hell—pardon my language, aunt Sookie!" the girl said in a real panic.

"It's alright, sweetheart—go on..."

Becky looked relieved. "Uh, it would hurt awful bad, but as soon as it was over you would plum forget it. It was like that for me. When it happens now, I don't know how to explain it, but the hurtin' and forgettin' all seem to happen at once; next thing I know I'm runnin' free and full of joy..."

"Wow," was all that Sookie could manage; she looked anxiously at the door. "Why is it taking so long? I thought it happened as soon as the moon came up..." she asked the girl worriedly.

"I don't know, aunt Sookie—it's different for everybody."

Just then they heard something powerful bang against the door and they both cried out in surprise as they jumped away from it and waited. They could hear Timbo's muffled voice but not his words. Ruby Jean was with the babies, but Claudette and Lettie Mae came from downstairs when they heard the ruckus.

"Is he alright?" asked Lettie Mae worriedly.

Tears were flowing down Sookie's cheeks but all she could do was shake her head as she wondered the same question herself.

Inside the room Timbo spoke soft, calming words at the one before him.

"You're alright, Jason; you made it...just keep walking it off..." he said to the spectacular black jaguar that was pacing the room on its haunches; he stopped suddenly as he caught the smell of the others outside the door and gave a low growl. "I know...I'll tell them to get back; then I'm gonna open the door Jason, and let you out of here—me and Becky will be right behind you, but remember—we gotta be careful and be on the lookout for vigilantes—so don't change until you get back to this house..."

Jason growled loudly and he could hear those on the other side of the door scurrying away.

"Hey, y'all—get back—I'm gonna open the door...Becky?"

"Yes, Timbo?"

"Go open the front door for Jason and be ready to run!"

"Okay! Bye aunt Sookie," Becky gave her a hurried kiss to the cheek and raced downstairs to open the door. Then the bedroom door opened and what came out took her breath away; the beautiful black cat sailed past them all and shot down the stairs to the door, then hesitated and paced before it, snarling his discontent.

"He wants you to come down, aunt Sookie," Timbo told her then.

Sookie moved as if she was in a daze down the stairs, followed closely by Claudette and Lettie Mae, to the stunning beast waiting for them at the door. When she entered the room Jason stopped pacing and roared at her.

"Are you mad at me, big brother?" she asked him nervously. Jason approached her slowly. "Okay, what am I supposed to do?" she asked Timbo in a panic without taking her eyes off of her brother.

Timbo didn't have to answer; Jason nuzzled her leg, and the strength of even that gentle move was enough to knock her a bit off balance. She dropped to her knees then and dared to hug his neck.

"Oh, Jason—you're beautiful—be careful, big brother..." she let him go then stood up and stepped away from him; he turned then and ran out of the open door, followed by Becky whom they had all seen shift, and Timbo, whom they did not, as he raced from behind them and joined his family before they disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p>"You have our attention," Bill said to their arbitrary host.<p>

"Good. I have intelligence; disturbing—and confirmed—that proves your American government to be as criminal and guilty of double-speak as it has ever been. They go through the motions of appearing to be of the accord to go through with the Vampire Rights Amendment, but be assured that they will not make the same mistake that they made with the Fourteenth Amendment."

Pope let that statement settle into them all before he proceeded and noted each vampire's reaction: the youngest one, Trey Horne, smirked, as if he was insulted at being told something he knew already; the blonde female, who was being groomed to eventually take Nan Flanagan's place in the AVL, just looked at him incredulously with her sweet mouth hanging open; Bill Compton lowered his head as if he was less than surprised at the information, as well, then raised it slowly and shot his angry gaze back at Pope, which confirmed to Pope that all of his illusions were shattered and had coalesced into the harsher realities at hand; the fiery wonder, Tara Thornton, only continued to glare venomously at him as she waited.

"Your fine 'government' has been playing you all, from the very beginning; for the past ten years the truer powers that be have been engaged in a global militarist technological race—that they have won, by the way—and have weapons to use against us; compounds to ship us off to where we can disposed of; and soon the mandate of stupid American humans, who continue to behave as the good, plugged-in, tuned-out, easily-distracted sheeple that they insist on remaining."

"Spit it out, already—what weapons and what fucking compounds?" Tara hissed at him, unafraid to show her ire or insolence.

"I assure you, Miss Thornton, that you anger is much misplaced. I'll forgive you, for the moment, but you will take great care with me, young one. A warning, my dear, not a request," Pope said calmly through a chilling smile; he registered the re-adjustment of her attitude, slight though it was, and then continued. "Officially it is called 'Operation Cocere'...cocere being from the Latin meaning—"

"To fry," Bill cut him off.

"Very good, Mister Compton. Unofficially, those of your government representatives in the know have been running around their state Capitols congratulating each other on the construction of their 'Florida Rooms'—lasertoriums, actually, more viciously called 'fry houses'-built to corral vampires and destroy them.

"I doubt that any of you have kept abreast of such things, but people all around your country have reported hearing strange noises, for years now: a low, nauseating hum in the air or pulsing bursts of sound that set off car alarms in whole neighborhoods at a time; or sounds that mirror the effects in the latest science fiction blockbuster at the local cinema, as if an alien aircraft is hovering invisibly overhead, that often lasts for hours. Fracking, some say; alien visitors, indeed, say others; and the questions keep coming, no longer confined to the message boards of conspiracy theorists, who are closer to the truth than they really want to be.

"It is not aliens or fracking, but the sound of your government hard at work—building deep subterranean lasertoriums, armed with the latest UV weaponry."

"Ultraviolet weaponry?" Sarah asked him then, propelled out of her stunned silence by total disbelief.

"Ultraviolet technology has been in use for years now, in medicine...computing...secure communications. Some totally obscure dermatologist came up with a patent for a UV laser grid—a _grid—_a prototype to be used in an RPG game, no less, as a feature for destroying virtual vampires. Yes, people, a grown man, a respected doctor in his field—_a weekend gamer,_" he said disgustedly, "has engineered a weapon that can efficiently wipe us all off the face of the earth."

"How do you know this, Pope?" Bill asked him then.

"I told you—I have intelligence. You might call that person a traitor."

"A traitor—in the Authority, of course," Bill ventured.

"Of course. And here in the World Vampire Federation, as well."

"But the WVF has not officially come on board with the VRA, or mainstreaming, really, for that matter," Tara countered.

"Not officially. Before that unfortunate display by Russell Edgington on television that fateful night, well, let's just say their outlook had been considerably more favorable. However, our dear Russell proved to be the poster boy for—"

"Bat-shit craziness and a good reason to hang the fuck back in the cut," said Trey.

Pope looked over at the forlorn-looking young vampire and smiled.

"So their plan is to round us up and exterminate us?" Sarah asked.

"In a word—yes," Pope answered her.

"But why? We have far more to fear from humans than they have to fear from us, especially now, with Tru Blood on the market," Sarah said as she shook her head in confusion.

"Did Tru Blood stocked at your corner 7-11 make you feel more secure as you trained your Fellowship of the Sun brethren to hunt down and kill vampires when you were human, Miss Newlin?" Pope asked with a vicious smile on his face.

Sarah's mouth snapped shut as she took his verbal hit in shame.

"But there aren't even that many vampires in the population—we don't out-number humans nor would it ever be feasible to do so," Bill countered, "so much expense to round up a few?"

"As far as our numbers, they are considerable enough to be threatening. Our very existence is threatening. As abominable as Tru Blood is, it ups the ante for humans to an uncomfortable level—because we could, conceivably, endeavor to do just that—out-number them—_especially_ if they are no longer our primary source of nourishment. And the fry houses are multi-purpose, I assure you, especially at this point in time in American history of severely diminished civil liberties."

They four vampires looked at each other then in horror.

"Your intelligence," Bill looked back at Pope, "is not mistaken?" His question was more of a statement that Pope confirmed with an adamant nod of his head. "And you would have us do what?"

"Look into your dead hearts and admit the truth: mainstreaming is a mistake—a foolish dream; that has only served to divide us as a race; brought danger to all supernaturals on earth—admit, finally, that it is a complete failure and can never be anything more than that."

"And what else? What now, if that's the case?" Tara began, completely dismayed, "they know about us—are we supposed to just turn tail and run? And to where?"

"We are supposed to _survive_, Tara—by any means necessary", he told her softly and with a compassion she had doubted he was possible of possessing. "Oh, that we were Fae and could transport ourselves safely off-world and be done with the sorry lot of them!" he railed at them all then. "But we do not, as they say, have it like that. There is a plan—you two are familiar with Thorough Cleansing?" he looked at Tara and Bill.

"Yes," Bill answered him tentatively.

"What we propose is a combination of that and other tactics with the ultimate goal being a return to the safety of anonymity," Pope said simply.

"That would be an endeavor—"

"Of epic proportions, yes, Bill—but not impossible," Pope cut him off. "There is to be a meeting tomorrow night between one of the AVL delegates and the President's Secretary of Vampire Affairs, James Dowling..."

"Yes, we know about that..."

"The Secretary is not to be trusted—the President is not to be trusted, for he is being lied to as well; he's a puppet, you have to know that, and runs nothing in the country that matters a damn. None of the world leaders do—surely that is not a surprise to any of you?"

"None of us, to my knowledge, has ever had to concern ourselves with such things," Bill answered him.

"Because in the good old days, the political affairs of humans were not our concern; we took a certain scripture of the bible to heart: _'Be in the world, but not of it'_-the only scripture in that particular coffee table book that serves anyone any good, yet is never heeded," Pope said wryly. "I'm here to tell you all now that our race needs to heed it; return to it and embrace it with open arms. That is simply a fact. And it will take all of us, of one accord, to make that a success. Do you understand, now? I am asking you all for your help."


	113. Storytellin'

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 113 Storytellin'

It was an hour before closing at Merlotte's; the grill was long closed and there were only three patrons left in the place, finishing up a rousing game of pool; Jolene had served her last drinks and was busy counting up the bar receipts while Lafayette sat behind the bar sipping on a tall cold bottle of beer, just taking a load off his tired feet. When the front entrance door opened and the customer walked in Jolene looked up irritatedly.

"Fuck," she muttered under her breath as she snapped the register drawer closed.

"Calm down, hookah," Lafayette said to Jolene, "that one ain't here for no drink; go on and count out your pan."

"Thanks, Lafayette—I'm tryin' to get outta here on time, for once."

"You tryin' to get outta here to get to Tommy, girl—act like you know, cuz I know I do," he called her out. "Matter of fact—go on and take it back to Sam's office," he said as he set his bottle down slowly, never taking his beautiful almond-shaped eyes off of the vampire still standing at the door; "I got this out here." He titled his chin up and his eyes narrowed further through his squinted gaze as he waited for the vampire to make a move.

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Jolene nervously as she hurriedly opened the register back up and followed his instruction. "Thanks, again..." she scurried away from what certainly looked to her like trouble.

"Well? What—is there a...problem?" the vampire asked him condescendingly.

"What is _you_ doin' here?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's a free country—at least, the last time I checked," said the slowly advancing vampire.

"You know, you got a lot of nerve—a _lot_ of nerve, hookah—waltzing up in here like yo ass belongs here or some such shit..." he challenged her.

"My ass does belong here—and the rest of me, too," she smiled wickedly at him as she drew closer.

"So you fuckin' say..." he rose slowly to standing.

"I fuckin' say..." she was behind the counter and standing right before him and then they stared each other down. Several uncomfortable seconds later Lafayette grabbed the vampire roughly and took her into his strong embrace.

"Hookah, I ain't seen you in a grip—where the fuck you been hidin' yo self?" he kissed her cheek sweetly and then smiled as Jessica laid her head on his shoulder and held him tighter. "Aw...sweetness...I been missin' you, too..." he murmured into her soft ginger locks. "You got excellent timing, girlfriend—Hoyt Fortenberry just left this bitch not five minutes ago," he told her then.

"I saw him—he actually smiled at me and said hello," she gave a surprised little chuckle against him.

"Well shut my muthafuckin' mouth..."

"How are you, Lafayette?" she asked as she reluctantly disengaged herself and looked into his smiling face.

"Aw, girl—same-ol-same-ol—work, work and work."

"Oh, come on...there's got to be something else going on in your life—this _is_ Bon Temps, were talking about here..."

Lafayette chuckled his agreement at her. "You damn skippy about that shit. Come on—you want a Blood?"

"No, I'm good, but thanks."

"Well then, bring yo self over here and let's have a real talk—c'mon..." he took her hand and led her to a booth. "Now..." he said when they got to one in a cozy corner, "sit yo fine ass down and tell me WHADDUP, Bitch?"

Jessica laughed out loud. "I asked you first, LaLa—you heard from Tara lately?"

"No, not since the first night in Minsk. You ain't heard from Bill?"

"No—but that's not why I asked," she said in apology.

"Girl, hush—I know that. Naw, I ain't talked to my cuz, and I do miss her ass like crazy."

Jessica took his hand into her own from across the table and gave it a squeeze. "How is Miss Lettie Mae doing?"

"Aw, honey _chile_, I can't keep up with her or Ruby Jean Reynolds!" he laughed out loud himself, then. "Ruby Jean got that woman hanging out at Fangtasia now, dranking Mint Juleps and playing poker with the young'uns 'til all hours..."

"No?" Jessica gasped incredulously.

"Yes—the good Reverend ain't takin' too kindly to that shit, though," he said conspiratorially as he whipped a little treat out of the breast pocket of his T-shirt and lit it up.

"I imagine not!"

"But then again, he don't take too kindly to mucha nuthin' that's not female between eighteen and twenty-two—but you didn't hear that shit from me..."

"No?" she gasped again.

"Hell yeah," he confirmed. "You don't mind, do you? It's been a helluva day..." he asked her as he pointed to the joint in his other hand.

"Lafayette! Sam..."

"Sam gone, girlfriend...to Baton Rouge...Terry's in charge and he don't care, so calm yo sweet self down," he smiled at her.

"Well then, go right ahead, sweetie—I kinda like the way it smells," she smiled at him. "So, does Lettie Mae know?" Her smile changed to a frown.

"I think deep down she do—but she's been enriching her life in other ways, lately; kinda gettin' back to the best of her old self...yeah..." he took a long drag on his joint, held it, then blew it out away from from her through the side of his mouth, "she gon be just fine. Blackburn must keep yo ass busy as a muthafucka, girl—you ain't heard nuthin' 'bout what the fuck been happenin' around here?"

"No—I just got back from Dallas and came straight here—I haven't even been home, yet."

"Damn, girl, I got so much to tell you I don't even know where to begin..."

"Well, keep telling me about you, for now—how's your mom? How's Jesus?"

"My mama is fine—been takin' real good care of Jason and the kids—she is, as they say—in her element. Jesus..." Lafayette looked down with a bashful smile and gave a little shake of his head before he spoke again, "that man..."

The look on his face made Jessica smile. "I love you," she told him softly then. "And I love anybody that can make you smile like that. I'm so happy for you two, Lafayette."

"Thank you, baby girl," he took one of her hands back into his free one. "He's going to Hajj with me in October..." he beamed at her.

"Oh, Lafayette! That's wonderful!" she said excitedly.

"Enough about me—what up with you and Blackburn? And yo job?"

"Well, the job is great—none of the nest members wanted to buy Isabel's house—they all formed new nests and went away. So, the house has been up for sale all this time and I've been handling the cosmetic renovations and the open houses—I'm stuck there until we get a buyer, and so far, nobody's biting. We've lowered the price three times, still no takers. Blackburn's been training me and I'm learning a lot about what it takes to be a good Sheriff—I can see myself being one, someday, if I'm lucky..."

"Oh, baby girl, I can see that, too..." Lafayette looked up and cocked his head to the side. "Jessica Hamby, Sheriff of Area...pick one, bitches!" He let go of her hand and snapped his finger loudly. "Can the church get an Amen! Yez, Lawd!"

Jessica laughed through the blush of her cheeks. "You're so silly..."

"I ain't silly—I's right, hookah, I don't know what you talkin' 'bout, shit..." he said in mock insult. "So...I done heard about yo job, and Blackburn's excellent training skills—how the two a _y'all_ doin'? That's what the lady _really_ want to know..." he cast his curious gaze at her then.

Jessica squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

"I ain't gettin' no younger, hookah," he shot his impatient reprimand at her.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Lafayette," she began tentatively. "I like him a lot, but I feel...I don't know..."

"Out wit it, already..." Lafayette commanded her.

"I mean, he's a thousand year-old vampire, for Christ's sake! And he's so intense, but at the same time he can be pretty distant, and I'm sure I'm too young for him..." it all came out of her in a rush then, "...too inexperienced, and he's just too considerate to actually say so, and I thought he was the one, but deep down I know he really isn't and he knows it, too, and it's just getting kind of fucked-up and crazy; working together, and all, and now Cromwell is...he's been...we..."

"Whoa, whoa...Cromwell? Julian-Illya Kuryakin-Called-And-He-Wants-His-Cat Suit-Back-Cromwell? That Julian Cromwell?" he asked her through an unbelieving smirk on his face.

Jessica laughed. "I don't what the hell you just said, but yes, Julian Cromwell," she began bashfully, "has kind of made it known, of late, that he is more than a little interested in me."

"Playa-playa! Gimme some, girl!" Lafayette smiled as he held up his hand for hers to dap but Jessica went bashful again and refused to meet it.

"I'm not a player, Lafayette," she told him demurely. Lafayette put his hand down; his joint had extinguished itself long before and he set it down on a napkin, then scooted around the booth and put a protective arm about her shoulder.

"No," he began softly, "you ain't no playa—you's becoming a woman, Jessica, that's all. Didn't I tell yo ass that there would be a lot of imposters along the way? You got a right to date, girlfriend. Shit, I'm happy for you—I joke about that muthafucka, but Julian is a smooth sumthin'-sumthin'—you could do a lot worse. As long as Blackburn ain't trippin' on yo ass—is he? Tell me he ain't," Lafayette's kind tone turned threatening.

"No, he's been wonderful, actually—too wonderful," she said suspiciously.

"Look, don't trouble your head about that—you the one with the new beau, after all—count your blessings that he cool about it and move on. He don't seem to have no problem keepin' it professional enough to still show you the ropes—do the damn thing, baby girl. You got what? Fifty million years to live? It's gonna take a while to find the love of your life, huh?" he smiled at her.

Jessica leaned her head on his shoulder then as she gave a little sigh. "I wish I could share those fifty million years with you, Lafayette."

"Oh, sugar plum, stop—I 'preciates yo sentiment and right back at ya, but that's what you got Bill for, right? I know you missin' him as much as I miss Tara Mae...we'll hear from them soon...you gon be alright."

"If you say so."

"I fuckin' say so. Look, I'm helping Terry close tonight; but I'm off tomorrow, Jesus if off the rest of the weekend—why don't you come on home with me? I got more of this right _here_..." he took his joint and put it back in his pocket, "and me and my baby gon make like y'all tonight—we's goin' to bed with the sun, sweetness! I got a damn sight more news to tell you and you might as well wait now and let me tell you and Jesus together—how 'bout it?"

"I would love to," she smiled up at him.

"Cool—I will tell you this—Sook is back..."

"What?" Jessica's head sprang up then. "When? How is she? It's all over? She's back to stay?" she asked excitedly.

"Yesterday; she fine; I ain't sure and I don't know. But she was in here today and, Lawd Have Mercy, wait 'til you hear about what the fuck went down in _this _bitch at lunch time!" he fanned himself through his laughter.


	114. War, Yo

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 114 War, Yo

"He's as crazy as Octavian Valerius was..." came Victor's gruff declaration.

"But his Intel on the UV weaponry—that can't be dismissed..." said Andrej Kuznetsov to the group assembled in the conference room at Kalvaryja as he paced the floor, visibly consternated at the report given by Bill Compton.

"But can we really trust that what he says is true? It could be a ruse..." said Shashen'Ka then.

"And if it isn't? Do we dismiss him so easily and take that chance?" Andrej asked of her.

"I didn't say that we should dismiss him, Andrej, but we need to verify that bit of information, don't you think?"

"The traitors within the AVL and WVF would know the answer to that—either we root them out or go straight to the source—starting with Secretary Dowling," suggested Tara.

"No, we shouldn't be so quick to tip our hand; let Borys have his meeting and then see what comes of it," said Victor.

"Do you think he's the one?" asked Shashen'Ka.

"It's impossible to know at this point," he responded disgustedly.

"I find it hard to believe that any of the AVL Delegates would be party to this," said Bill then. "Valerius was ready to fry them all—who would go so far as to jeopardize their existence in such a manner?"

"Who said that they jeopardized anything? At that point the AVL was anonymous and Valerius' antics were theater at its best—it would have been easy for the traitor to play along convincingly. Valerius did his best mind-fucking off camera, remember; had he carried off his campaign successfully we would all be dead and there would have been no one left to know any better. And then a war would have started," Victor told him curtly. Bill bristled at his tone.

"So we say nothing of this to the AVL?" Bill demanded of him angrily.

"Who would we say it to? At this point none of them can be trusted," Victor shot back.

"Maybe..." a timid voice came at them all then, "the American traitor is a recent convert..." Sarah ventured.

"What does it matter?" Victor growled at her, "we are all compromised—"

"Still, I ask you, do we know that for sure?" Shashen'Ka cut him off. "I get the impression that Pope would say anything to get us to join him."

"But we don't have the kind of influence with the AVL to simply report his unconfirmed intelligence and make them take any type of action one way or the other," Bill reasoned.

"But think about it," Shashen'Ka appealed to them, "he spins his tale of intrigue, peppered with the fantastic and just enough truth to get you to go to the AVL, where the traitor waits who possesses the capability to inflict the influence that you do not..."

"Yes, but which part is the fantastic and which part is the truth?" asked Andrej.

"And does he really think we're stupid enough to go to the Authority half-cocked?" asked Tara angrily. "I say we scope out Dowling first—shadow him...find out just exactly what he's really about—our own independent operation that the AVL doesn't have to know anything about."

"You have to know, that as Secretary of Vampire Affairs, Dowling has vampires on his payroll to sniff out other vampires for just such a reason as a matter of general security—they'd be waiting for you, especially if he's a part of this alleged plot and even if he is not," said Victor irritatedly.

"Then what the fuck are we supposed to do?" she shot back at him nastily.

"I'll tell you one thing we're _not_ supposed to do—use up our precious time fightin' with each other, yo" suggested the youngest vampire in the room quietly from his seat at the roundtable.

All eyes in the room turned to Trey.

"Shashen'Ka and Tara are right: we need to separate the lies from the truth. Period. Pope could be full of lies and pure insanity; but what he proposes strikes enough chords to appeal to a fair portion of the vampire masses—and that's what he's counting on to fire up more. He ain't after no crazy-ass Thorough Cleanse from hell; if what he says is true, he simply wants to beat humans to the punch, and get this war started on the real; if what he says is not true? It doesn't matter, either way—all of that bullshit about returning to anonymity...back to the shadows? Bullshit. Valerius wanted to run the world and he needed a mandate—and was well on the road to obtaining it. Pope wants the same thing and the mandate he seeks is an extension of his predecessor's, that's all..Round One: Mainstreaming is unnatural and a failure and it shouldn't be imposed on us; Round Two: Let's agree to disagree but let the ones who just want to return to the safety of our old ways be free to do that; Round Three: Motherfuckin' humans want to exterminate us and we should strike the first blow. Who wouldn't want to fight for their survival with human governments seeking to destroy your kind once and for all? Which would take him to his bottom line: We would justifiably take the humans out and then we would run this shit, any way _he_ would chose to do it.

"Bill is right, too: we need go to the AVL, but Bill, we need to go with a plan, and deal with the traitor at that point; cuz what we're lookin' at here is a war, either way. Just my humble opinion, yo," Trey concluded calmly.

"_Out of the mouths of babes,"_ Vitaly Makarov thought as he smiled to himself at his seat in the corner of the room.


	115. Declarations

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 115 Declarations

"You're too vested in this, Bill; you've been a part of this for what, thirty years or so now? I think it's time to admit that the Authority really didn't properly think this thing through—mainstreaming is a failure; I could agree with Pope's general suggestion to remain in the shadows—if we were still in the shadows. But we aren't. No supernatural is, anymore. Pope's shit could be a stratagem; a complete pack of lies—but if I lay eyes on just one fry room, then its on."

Bill shot Tara a look of disgust.

"Don't look at me that way—you asked me what I honestly thought about all of this and I told you." Tara's tone was completely unapologetic.

Bill got up silently from their bed and paced the flash-burned purple brick floor of their quarters in Tabah Tosti. "I cannot believe that it has come to this," he muttered to himself, his voice full of anguish.

"They're humans, Bill. We used to be human; scared; intolerant; prejudiced. I don't remember who said it—some politician years ago, I think—he said as long as there are races there will be racism. Unfortunately his words are still true. All you have to do is look at world history—pick any century—war and intolerance; fear and greed; and more war, war, war. This one could have been avoided, but what's done is done, now."

"Then go on and join Pope, already, if that is what you want!" Bill whipped around and yelled at her angrily.

"That's not what I want, Bill, and you know it. I just want you to wake up," Tara said sadly. "We need a plan. We need to find out about the UV weapons and the fry rooms. After that, damn Benjamin Pope and the Authority, too—because it will truly be about nothing but survival, then. And I don't want to die at the hands of crazy, frightened _mobilized _humans—I want my first thousand years—with you," she said then as a single blood tear cascaded down her cheek. Bill rushed her and took her apologetically into his embrace.

"I am sorry...I am so sorry...I am just..."

"I know—you don't have to say it...I love you..."

"And I you. If we are not going to go to the Authority on this first we should at least alert Eric."

"But Nora..."

"I simply do not believe her to be such a traitor..."

"I don't either, but she's his sister, Bill, you know he's gonna tell her—she could blow our cover with the Authority before we find out what we need to find out first."

"There is that, Tara, but I would seek his counsel on this; he and Chow have extensive contacts within political vampire circles, especially Chow—we need their assistance on this, there are just no two ways about that," he reasoned with her. "We can catch him now before we need to go to ground..."

Tara reluctantly nodded her head in agreement and waited anxiously as he placed the call from his cell phone.

* * *

><p>"Trey, it's all falling apart and we're just doomed," Sarah sobbed into his chest as he held her in his arms. They, too, were back in the privacy of their shared room and both of their young vampire bodies were fast succumbing to the imminent affects of the rising sun, even beyond the safety of their subterranean clinker-bricked walls. "First, our Maker was killed; then Octavian Valerius and all of his big bucket-full of crazy; now an impending war between vampires and humans? It's just not fair..." she yawned as they both gave in to the heaviness of their limbs and lay down upon their bed together.<p>

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, Sarah, but don't you give up on me now—we're gonna survive this, yo—we have to...I love you, Sarah."

"And I love you too, Trey," Sarah said drowsily.

"No...I mean I _love_ you, Sarah...I've been wanting to tell you that for days now."

"But Trey! We're brother and..."

"Through the blood of our Maker yes," he cut her off quietly, "but not in any way that has to keep us from expressing that love any way we want to—you know this."

"Trey...I..."

"I just wanted you to know, that's all," he cut her off again, unwilling to suffer her rejection at just that moment. "We can talk about it tomorrow night—or not. Let's just sleep now; let me just enjoy this, right now," he said dreamily then as he held her tighter. Before she could answer they had both surrendered themselves over to the Little Death.

* * *

><p>Luna had just returned from Martha's house; she had gone there directly from work to take a suitcase of fresh clothes to her daughter and visit with her until her bedtime. As she stood on her porch unlocking her door she caught the whiff of definite danger on the wafting fumes of recently discharged gunpowder and burning metal; she heard the sound of twigs snapping under the footfall of someone heavy and she froze like a deer in the headlights.<p>

"Luna? Luna Garza?" she heard a woman's voice call out to her from the darkness but saw no one in sight.

"Who's there? What do you want?" Luna looked frantically about her front yard and to the woods beyond but saw no one although the smell of someone human was right upon her.

"We're not out there, you little shifter skank—we're up here...and we want _you_..." came a female voice, dripping with venom and the sure intent of malice from up on the roof; Luna looked up and the next thing she saw was a net raining down to ensnare her. "Get her before she shifts into something else!" Sweetie Des Arts yelled frantically down at her masked cohorts, but she needn't have worried, for before Luna could even to think to do such a thing she felt something hard hit her head and then everything went black.

* * *

><p>In an underground bunker, several levels deep under the Archuleta Mesa in New Mexico, in a small conference room behind a ballistic resistant steel vault door, two men sat in a private meeting; one was a distinguished, semi-retired four-star general and the Secretary of Vampire Affairs; the other, a four-thousand, five hundred-year-old vampire. Beyond the eyes and ears of the compound's security the two men discussed the current state of vampire affairs.<p>

"It's all gone to shit, Olesky; none of you are in control and we've absolutely had it," Secretary James Dowling declared calmly.

"And by 'we' you mean?"

"You know damn well who I mean—you can kiss the VRA goodbye—it will never be ratified."

"The Authority had your assurance that..."

"You never had any such thing, Olesky. None of you has taken this endeavor seriously so how do you expect us to? You've installed no proper check and balance system; you've got other loose cannons like Octavian Valerius and Russell Edgington ready to pop-off at any given moment; your kind is not even on board globally—the WVF has officially issued a directive stating that they do not support the AVL effort to move forward with Vampire Rights or mainstreaming—we consider that at declaration of war."

"I don't believe it," Borys pounded the table with his fist, "I've heard no news of any such directive. Edgington was put down; Valerius was put down..."

"And how many more must be put down, Olesky? I find it interesting that Chancellor Manners is not here to take this meeting," the Secretary scowled at him.

"And just what are you insinuating?"

"I'm insinuating nothing—I do find it interesting that, for a matter of such import, the Chancellor sends a Delegate instead of coming here to address this issue himself; and I'm saying very clearly that this whole sad, sorry campaign of yours is over; the manufacture of Tru Blood has not proven itself to be the catalyst for peace and harmony between humans and vampires that you all promised us that it would be: you, all of you, continue to feed on humans..."

"_Willing _humans," Olesky corrected him angrily.

"Not _all_ willing humans, Olesky, and you know it. Many of your kind desire world domination and in actuality, the continued manufacture of Tru Blood could very well help you attain it—you'd be free to wipe humans off the face of the earth..."

"No one has ever proposed such a thing, and you know it!"

"How short your memory is, Olesky, or should I say—selective? Did I not just mention Edgington and Valerius?"

"They were not a part of our campaign, Dowling—and no one who is endeavors that which you speak of; your fears are understandable, but hardly justified."

"Is that right? I beg to differ, Olesky. The bottom line, here, is that your kind is not all down with the program—and now, neither are we."

"This is an outrage!" Borys rose up violently from his seat. "We're only just beginning to make real progress and you won't give us chance...what is it, Dowling?" Borys asked him suspiciously then, "What's happened to cause this sudden shift? Or were you never sincere about VRA all along?"

"Please spare me your false histrionics, Olesky. The tide has changed and humans have simply come to their senses. We do agree on one thing," the Secretary rose from his seat to face him, "this whole affair _has_ been an outrage. And we've given you every chance—at least, all the chance you're going to get. Take that message back to Chancellor Manners. And tell him that, while we will not be taking any more meetings, we will be taking back our country."

The vault door opened then, flanked by human soldiers armed with the usual vampire weaponry.

Borys made to leave and was stopped as the Secretary called out to him.

"Olesky..."

The vampire turned to face the smug human.

"Take this with you, as well..." he approached him and handed the vampire something that looked like a small-calibre gun case. "The lock is on timed-release; I advise that you don't open it until you get back to AVL Headquarters; it's just a little something to let the Chancellor know that, well...the game has changed, shall we say."

Borys yanked the case angrily from the Secretary's grip and disappeared.


	116. Messages Delivered

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 116 Messages Delivered

"Where are you?"

"Nevada—an old nuclear testing site..."

"You think it's as bad as all of that?"

"I do, and I'll not chance bringing it a hair within bounds of the Authority—are you coming or not?"

"Yes, I've got your coordinates—I'm on my way—I'm bringing Sabeen."

"Fine." Borys terminated the call from his cell phone and waited.

* * *

><p>Back at Eric's his phone lit up again. "Bill?"<p>

* * *

><p>Sam and Zola lay in her bed snuggled in each others arms discussing their future.<p>

"A church wedding?" Zola asked, her faced screwed-up with certain distaste. "If I go anywhere near a church, crucifixes explode as soon as I come into the vicinity," she told him. Sam laughed out loud.

"Yeah, right, Zola..."

"They do! I told you I'm not a perfect person, Sam; I'm a back-slider; an honorary heathen..."

"I don't believe that...hell, I haven't been to church myself since I don't know when, but I've always wanted a church wedding—I'm only doin' it once, Zola, and I see my bride—you—walking down the aisle of a beautiful church, dressed in white and looking like the angel that you are."

"Well, I only plan on doing it once and my vision entails a handsome strawberry blond hunk standing at the altar against the backdrop of a sparkling blue ocean that sets off his eyes."

"Well, that's nice, too...hmm..." Sam contemplated the alternative.

"Yeah."

"I'm an accommodating man—how about a destination wedding: a church on a hill over-looking a sparkling blue ocean?"

"Really?"

"You find it and I'll book it—pay for the whole party so that our closest friends can share it with us."

"You can pay for the whole town of Bon Temps? Because that's what you'd have to do, Sam, they're all your closest friends..." she smiled at him.

"We can work that out, you just—" Just then his cell phone vibrated loudly on the night table. "Damn...it's two in the morning...who the hell?" he looked at the phone and saw who it was. He picked it up and looked at question at Zola as he answered it. "Martha?"

"Sam, have you heard from Luna tonight?"

"Uh, no, Martha, why?"

"She came by to see Emma and spent some time here...she left her just before nine o'clock—she always calls when she gets home just to say a final goodnight to Emma and let us know that she got in safe—we've heard nothing and I just wondered if she might be with..."

"Martha, I'm not home—I'm not even in Bon Temps right now," he began awkwardly.

"Oh...I'm sorry Sam, I thought maybe—I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's no bother, Martha. Look, I'll be back home tomorrow afternoon, well today, now—me, Alcide and Jason Stackhouse are going on a stakeout tonight..."

Zola was in the middle of a little yawn as her body stretched languidly against Sam's, but at the word 'stakeout' she stopped abruptly and shot him an alarmed look that he didn't notice; she also noted that his return home had been pushed back from the evening to the afternoon.

"Yeah, I know about that."

"Well, look, did you call your Sheriff?"

"You know what he said—twenty four hours before you can file a—"

"Missing person's report," he finished for her disappointedly. "Look, I'll bet you anything she's just knocked out and has her phone on vibrate—Luna sleeps like the dead, you know...can't somebody go by there and check on her?"

Beside him Zola was trying to remain cool, but found her curiosity turning into mild indignance; she knew that Luna was Sam's ex-shape shifter girlfriend and had a daughter; he hadn't gone into any intimate details about their relationship and she hadn't asked for any but that little tidbit he'd just dropped made her bristle inwardly even as she silently chastised herself for feeling jealous; she literally bit her tongue as she turned over on her other side away from him, waiting for him to finish his call before she asked what fucking 'stakeout' he was talking about.

"I'm at that point, Sam—it's all I can do not to go knock on Alcide's door right now..."

"Maybe you should, sweetheart..."

"Look, I'm sorry I bothered you, I just called on the off-chance."

"Well, hey, let me know if you hear anything before I get back home, and I'll do the same if I should happen to hear from her, okay?"

"I will and thanks, Sam..."

"Give Emma a kiss and a hug for me, huh?"

"I will, Sam, bye."

"Bye, Martha." Sam shut off his cell; a worried frown was still on his face as he turned over to reclaim Zola.

"You can just put that away, thank you very much," said Zola frostily.

"Hey? What's wrong?"

"Since when did you become a cop? A stakeout? Really? What? Who?" she asked without yielding to his tug at her body to turn and face him.

"We have a lead on the vigilantes, on the leader—I'm pretty sure we're gonna break this case and get them rounded up and off to jail, where they belong...I didn't tell you, darlin', because I knew that you would worry, Zola..." he began apologetically.

"This is not good, Sam—you're supposed to tell me things like this; I know what's going on in the world—what's going on in Bon Temps—being worried about you is an everyday occurrence for me, in case you didn't know," she chastised him.

"And you would still marry me?"

"Of course I would—I just don't think I'd want to bring our kids into this mess just yet...it may sound crazy, but I'm holding out hope on that one for a happy ending...I'm praying for a happy ending..."

Sam felt her shoulders begin to shudder and heave as she tried desperately to hold back her tears. "You pray? I thought you said you were a heathen," he teased her softly as he cradled her in his arms.

"I'm a good heathen—I pray for everyone except myself..." Her silent tears came full force then.

"Zola, honey...I'll be alright, I promise you...I promise you...c'mon, now..." he finally got her to turn into his embrace and then kissed her lips through her salty tears.

"Your ex sounds like she's in trouble..." she sniffled at him.

"I'm sorry about that, darlin'..." he said sheepishly about the phone call from Martha.

"Don't be—she's lucky to still have you as a friend...I get it—I hope she does, too...and I hope that she's alright...maybe you want to go to her now...make sure..." Zola made to extricate herself from his embrace and get out of the bed.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he growled at her as he pulled her easily back into him.

"To make you some coffee before you head back to Bon Temps..." she broke away from him, stood and headed for the door.

"Zola, do you know something I don't?" he asked after her with a frown on his face and confusion in his voice. Zola turned to face him.

"I know there are an awful lot of women in your life that you care deeply about: Tara...Sookie...I don't even know Martha and Emma, but I can tell how you feel about them just looking at your face—and I can see that Luna's on that list, too...so get out of bed, Sam, and come get some coffee and something to eat before you go," she said as she wiped her tears away, then turned and left him.

* * *

><p>Less than a half hour later Borys, Eric and Sabeen were assembled and standing atop a mountain overlooking the abandoned Yucca Flat nuclear test site.<p>

"This was the nearest place I could think to come to...he said timed-release and I took it for granted that whatever the hell he was talking about was not simply related to this infernal box opening up—the whole way here I worried that whatever was inside would detonate any minute..." Borys told them both disgustedly.

"Yes, well thankfully that did not happen..." Sabeen said softly as she raised her hand up slowly, her mind concentrated at the case on the ground before them; the case lifted up then and sailed away from them fifty feet or so and then hung in the air like the question mark that it was. "So, is it something nuclear?" she asked them both then. "And what effect would that have on us I wonder?"

"I don't know, Sabeen, I've never gone swimming in a nuclear reactor or picnicked in the middle of a test site during a bomb blast..." Borys harrumphed. "I imagine we'll find out in a moment."

"It's not nuclear...exactly-or maybe it is..." Eric said then. His two comrades looked their questions at him. "I had a call from Bill; they met Pope; he told them that the American military has perfected ultra-violet weaponry—it seems that humans are prepared to wage war against us."

"What?" Sabeen gasped.

"What did Dowling have to say, Borys?" Eric asked him sternly.

"Basically, the same; VRA is dead in the water—he assured me that it will not be ratified and that American humans are 'taking back their country'..."

"I don't understand...why?" Sabeen asked then.

"Because Tru Blood is a threat—with the ability to survive without their blood they fear that we'll wipe them off the face of the earth; use it to take over the world. He said the the WVF issued an official directive stating that they do not support the AVL in their mainstreaming efforts or the implementation of the VRA—which he says has been taken as a declaration of war. In that box is a message to Chancellor Manners and to all of us."

"Pope told Bill and the rest that there are traitors within the WVF and the AVL—they're in an uproar at Kalvaryja trying to figure out Pope's true intentions," Eric reported further.

"If it's not nuclear then I want to see just exactly what it is..." Sabeen said then as she flew out to the suspended case.

"Sabeen! No! Whatever it is harnesses the power of the sun!" Borys yelled after her. "Sabeen! We must stop her!" he implored Eric frantically, but it was too late; Sabeen had snatched up the case and was gone like a shot as she flew over the flat and then landed in the dry alkaline lake bed. With their vampire vision they saw a blue glow emanate from the box upon its opening and then a blinding flash of light. Seconds later the night returned to its former peace and the two vampires saw a small crater in the earth where Sabeen had been.

* * *

><p>Back at her house Sookie was up and unable to sleep. She was in her bedroom, standing in her window looking out for Jason, Becky and Timbo to return. There was a knock on her door.<p>

"Come in..." She didn't ask who it was; she figured it was either Claudette, Ruby Jean or Lettie Mae who had come to see about her and didn't even turn around. She only heard the footsteps of one person. "Hey...I'm alright...it's just that it's going on three in the morning already, they should have been back by now, huh?"

"They're alright, Sookie."

Sookie jumped at the unfamiliar but calm sound of the male voice behind her, and turned to face it in full alarm. Standing there was a tall man, easily six feet and two or three inches taller. He was lean and well-proportioned and dressed simply and bare-footed in black skinny jeans that were simple and well-fitting; a black cotton tunic that was hooded and unlaced just so, complimenting his broad chest and shoulders; his hair was sandy blond, wind-swept, and just barely shoulder-length; his eyes were a piercing grey and in them was a look of pure delight; he had a neatly attended five o'clock shadow that set off the diamond-shaped perfection of his strong chin and his fine little lips smiled at her under its hint of a mustache. If he had sprouted wings and unfurled them at her in all of their glory she would not have been surprised.

"Warlow..." she gasped her full recognition at him.

"The one and only," he said as he gave a deep bow at her.


	117. Symmetry

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 117 Symmetry

"You know..." Sookie began heatedly, "even though I've been promised to you in this crazy arranged-marriage deal and even though you're androgynously and achingly beautiful, you'll have to pardon my lack of giving a real huge fuck, because number one: Bon Temps is full of achingly beautiful supernaturals, and, even though I don't really know exactly what you are? Well, let's just say that shit is just not real impressive anymore. Two: the whole concept of such an arrangement and being involved in one is archaic and abhorrent to me. Three: I don't appreciate how you scared the Be-Jesus out of me in my dreams and then that time in my shower. Four: it was my understanding that I would go back to Faery and counsel with Queen Mab further before I finally met you—but more than any of that? Or even all of it combined? You killed my parents," she leveled at him finally, through tight lips and a steely glare. "So...you tell me how this is supposed to work, because I..." she walked up to him and poked him in his chest with her forefinger, "don't..." she poked him again, "GET IT!" she yelled at him with the last rather vicious jab.

She was not surprised that he hadn't budged an inch because he was probably stronger even than a vampire but she wasn't prepared for the look he gave her when she dared to set her eyes upon his. "Oh no...don't stand there looking at me all sympathetic and sad and caring and shit—and don't think I'm gonna stand here and go all human on you and cry," she said through trembling lips, trying valiantly to honor her own words.

The next thing Sookie knew his arms were wrapped about her; his embrace was not lustful or sexual at all but full of light and forgiveness—his light seeking forgiveness from hers and the expression, too, of extreme and profound apology, all washing through her very soul at once; and with a continued and quite consternating sense of duality she felt drained and replenished; divested of all of her worst emotions and filled with new ones that she found impossible to describe.

"What did you just do to me? How...why..." she could not get a coherent statement out to him.

"Because there are no words in your human language that express that which I feel for or about you, Sookie," he said quietly as he released her.

"And you just whip that on a person and it's supposed to make everything alright?" she asked him incredulously.

"Maybe not right away, but hopefully with time. You understand better at least, do you not?"

"Yes, damn it," she admitted grudgingly but with a smile on her face that seemed beyond her own control.

"As do I."

"What am I supposed to do with all of this? I feel like...like my nerves are on fire..." She was looking at her down at her body, specifically the points where his had come into contact with hers, and where she found the sensations to be the strangest and the strongest.

"Don't panic, that will subside," he told her gently, "we are just coming to a point of...symmetry—it takes time."

"How much time?"

"The time that is needed for it to take. I'm not here to force myself upon you, Sookie. You must receive me, willingly and in earnest."

"You're not using some kind of magic on me? To coerce me?"

"I promise you—that is not how this works," he said emphatically.

"I need to sit down..."

Warlow made to come to her aid and Sookie waved him off. "I got it, but thanks anyway..." she sat on the edge of her bed.

Warlow went to a wall opposite her and leaned his back against it. "Are you better now?" he smiled at her again.

"I'm better," she said simply. "What now?"

"Whatever you want, Sookie. Maybe you want me to leave you so that you can think your own thoughts about this in private for a while?"

"No, no...stay," she sighed her resignation at him.

"That doesn't sound good..." he said with a tilt of his head at her. "I can go, really..."

"No—I have questions," she looked up at him with a very serious look on her face.

"I know that you do—I won't answer all of them," he smiled his admonishment at her.

"Wow, really? Just...out with it—like that?" she said then, completely miffed.

Warlow only continued to smile at her as he waited for her questions to begin.


	118. The Way of the Universes

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 118 The Way of the Universes

* * *

><p>"He effectively tries my patience with his impatience..."<p>

"He is actually within his rights."

"I don't need you to tell me that. I would have liked more time to prepare her..."

"I could not stop him."

"Of course you couldn't. He will tell her the truth..."

"Of course he will...she should know it."

"I see—if that is how you feel then surely you've made your decision—to stay on earth, with them..."

"Yes."

"You know what's coming Claudette—you would still elect to stay?"

"I have to, my Queen—he needs me now more than ever."

* * *

><p>Lettie Mae had left hours ago to go home and the babies were sleeping peacefully in their cribs; Ruby Jean was downstairs keeping her lonely vigil waiting for Jason, Timbo and Becky and had just fixed her third cup of hot chocolate; when she left the kitchen and walked back to the living room she found that Claudette had returned and was sitting on the couch waiting for her.<p>

"Hi honey—how did it go with your Queen?"

"As expected...but I have to stay, Ruby Jean."

"I know." Ruby Jean put a comforting hand to one of Claudette's.

"Is he..."

"They're still upstairs. It's been real quiet."

Claudette looked over at the three throw blankets folded and stacked neatly on the wing chair in the corner. "What do you think they've been doing all of this time?" Claudette asked her new friend in earnest.

"I don't know, honey, but this world is a wondrous place; I can only imagine what it must be like to experience it with completely new eyes. Can I get you something, Claudette? Are you hungry?"

"No, but thank you," Claudette said through a worried smile; she looked toward the stairs and then up.

"Come on, now...she's alright, too. You ever had hot chocolate? Smell this..." Ruby Jean passed her cup lightly under Claudette's nose. "Doesn't that smell good? Huh?"

"Well, yes, actually," Claudette admitted.

"Coming right up, honey—you're gonna love it...c'mon with me..." Ruby Jean got and and pulled the worried woman to the kitchen with her.

* * *

><p>In her room Sookie sat on her bed looking down at the floor at nothing in particular. Warlow was still leaning against the wall smiling at her and waiting patiently.<p>

"I have a million questions—maybe three or four of which you might answer, according to you—and I don't know where to start, Warlow; I don't think I even can start until Jason and the kids get back here safely." she looked up at him then.

"I can understand that," he said softly.

Sookie got up from the bed, went back to her window and looked out of it, her eyes focused far beyond the yard and the woods. "You're not a vampire..."

"No."

"But I can't hear you."

"I assure you that I am a living being, Sookie...I'm simply blocking you out, you must know that." His reprimand was a kind one.

"You have something to hide from me?" she accused him.

"Your talent, dear Sookie, though often involuntary—and sometimes not—is an invasive one, yes? It is not a matter of hiding as much as one of privacy."

"Convenient," she harrumphed to herself softly. She looked out of the window for a long while before she spoke to him again. "Why did you kill my parents, Warlow?"

"I did not kill your parents, Sookie."

"But you apologized to me for it," she whipped around to face him, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Yes, I did—for your loss. It was not an admission of guilt."

"Why won't someone tell me the truth! Once and for all! Do you know the truth, Warlow?"

"Yes, I do," he said calmly.

"Then out with it—right now," she demanded. Just then they both heard noises from downstairs and within seconds Jason had come bounding up the steps and exploded into her room, wrapped in a blanket and bursting with excitement.

"Oh. My. God! Sookie! I just had the most incredible night! The sounds, Sookie! The earth under my paws! My paws—can you fuckin' believe that?" he beamed at her. "Sookie?" he saw the angry look on her face and was taken aback by it; then he caught the whiff of another in the room and swung around to see a man standing at attention with a smile on his face. "Who the fuck is this?" he snarled at the man.

"Jason, that's my husband. Warlow, that's my brother, which you well know," she angrily introduced them.

"The demon?"

"He's not a demon."

"The hell he ain't."

"I'm not a demon."

"The hell you ain't."

Sookie rolled her eyes hard and then squeezed them tightly shut as she tried to hold her temper. "Jason, just calm down, please."

"The hell I will."

"Jason! Please! Look, I've been worried about you all night and now you're home safe; Warlow just got here, while you were gone, and I need to talk to him now. I want to hear all about your night, I do—but first he and I have a score to settle and I need to talk to him. Alone."

"No, Sookie—Jason should hear this, as well," Warlow said then.

"Damn straight," Jason said as he headed for a chair to sit down.

"Jason...honey, you might want to go put some proper clothes on?" Sookie suggested delicately.

"Oh, shit! Yeah—I'll be right back..." He blushed his embarrassment at them as he left.

* * *

><p>"Bullets...UV bullets, Bill. Is that proof enough now? He was telling the truth," Tara said disgustedly.<p>

The group had assembled at Kalvaryja soon after sundown. Vitaly Makarov had received the report from Eric and Borys via secure e-mail and went straight to Andrej with it, who had then called his comrades together immediately.

"Is Sabeen alright? What of Sabeen?" Shashen'Ka asked desperately.

"She's alright...she got a good enough glimpse of the contents and flew the hell out of there in time..." said Andrej.

"The fry rooms, then—must be true, as well..." Victor looked around the room at his shocked friends.

"Eric and Chow are working on confirmation of that—we should hear something on that, hopefully before we go to ground," said Bill.

"And the meeting with the Continental Monarchs has been canceled until further notice—they went to Chancellor Manners..." Tara informed them further.

"So, what are we supposed to do now? Stay here? Go home? Where do we start with our investigation?" Trey asked then.

"We're waiting to hear more from Manners—he's working to root out any traitors within the AVL..." said Bill.

"Someone has betrayed them—I refuse to believe any of them are a part of this...I just refuse to believe it..." said Shashen'Ka.

"Well, I hope you're right, _Tabah_, but we have our own work cut out for us here, do we not? Where _do_ we start, Andrej?" Victor turned his attention away from her and over to the harried vampire who was busy sorting through a pile of reports at his seat at the round table.

"I've seen no missive even remotely alluding to the WVF's renouncement of the American VRA...nothing..."

"We're still dealing with half-truths and the dubious intentions of Benjamin Pope—has there been any new information on him?" Sarah asked.

"He's gone completely silent..." Andrej confirmed, "...no word...no sightings—nothing. We wait, my friends, to hear next from Manners. None of you has fed—go and take your nourishment...Vitaly and I will hold it down here until you return..."

"I absolutely have no appetite..." groused Victor.

"Neither have I—there is business at the club we must attend to, in the meantime—come Victor...we'll see you shortly, comrades," Said Shashen'Ka as she and Victor left.

"And what about you two?" Tara asked of Sarah and Trey, "how are you guys holding up?"

Sarah and Trey exchanged awkward glances at one another.

"Uh, fine, considering..." Sarah smiled weakly. "I'm hungry, though—anybody want to join me in the dining room? I hear the kitchen is stocked to bursting with that abominable Tru Blood..."

Bill and Tara chuckled their agreement as they headed with her to the dining room. Trey, who wanted be alone with her—if only for a moment—said nothing as he fell in behind them.

* * *

><p>"Alright, Sookie...Jason—ask away..."<p>

"Don't get too excited, Jason, he's not going to tell us everything," Sookie warned her brother with a frown on her face.

"What?" Jason asked her, totally confused; he and Sookie were sitting at the head of her bed facing Warlow, who sat at the foot of it. Warlow registered no insult, or reaction at all, over Sookie's rebuke and continued to wait for her to begin.

"We know that our parents didn't die in a flood; we've been told—or I have—that a vampire killed them; Hadley, too. You're not a vampire but, according to Queen Mab, every conceivable type supernatural on earth is your progeny—so what and who killed our parents, Warlow?"

"Fairies," he said simply.

"What the fuck?" Jason's eyes looked as if they'd pop right out of his head.

"My own kind? No way," said Sookie in an outraged huff. "No fuckin' way..."

"Fairies are tribal deities of the elements: earth; sky; water; and fire; they are all governed by hereditary monarchies, and you Sookie...Jason...are descended from a royal bloodline. You are the last living hybrid female in your tribe, Sookie, and Hunter is the last hybrid male—with any power..." Warlow looked at Jason.

"Your tribe is a peaceful one—sky fairies. They are not bound to earth which is why they were able to escape their trials and tribulations here at the hands of vampires through portals to Faery; neither are the fire deities. However, water and fire tribes are particularly war-like and take great pleasure in being a menace to humans—and to other fairies. A particular water tribe, or rather, it's king, was involved in a pernicious feud with your great-grandfather, who was a prince; and as part of that on-going feud your parents were the unfortunate victims caught in the cross-fire that fateful night on the bridge. If you and Jason had been in the car you could have both been killed, as well."

"A feud? Between fairies? Are you shittin' me?" Jason's voice was full of outrage.

"Hunter? They're after Hunter, as well? Then who...he's needs protection—who's protecting him?"

* * *

><p>Downstairs Ruby Jean and Claudette were listening to Timbo and Becky's exciting recount of their night on the run with Jason. Suddenly Claudette stood up from the couch.<p>

"Claudette? What's wrong, girl?" asked Ruby Jean worriedly.

"I must go; Sookie is well taken care of here and there is another who requires my full attention now. Thank you, Ruby Jean, for everything—we will see each other again; and believe me when I tell you that Sookie already knows why and where I have gone." Claudette gave a kiss to her cheek and to those of Becky and Timbo and then disappeared in a ball of white light.

* * *

><p>Upstairs Sookie could almost feel her leaving. "Claudette..." she said in whisper, "is Hunter's fairy godmother..."<p>

"Yes," Warlow confirmed.

"Why were we lied to? Queen Mab lied to me—why?"

"I imagine that she worried she would gain only your mistrust, Sookie. She needed you to trust her; she needed to be able to help you."

"But to blame the vampires like that...and then to imply that you were one—and the one that killed our parents...and what what were you doing on the bridge that night, anyway?" she asked him then, her mind full of new and horrible suspicions.

"I smelled your blood, Sookie; your essence; on a band-aid—I thought you were in that car and I came early away from my own dimension...to save you," he said simply.

"Another dimension...like..."

"Yes," he answered her, knowing she that meant the one she had recently been to herself.

"What the fuck are y'all talking about?" Jason felt like his head was going to explode.

"I'll explain more in a minute, Jason." Sookie gave a sad smile to her brother and pat of her hand to his. "So, good fairies and bad..."

"Light and dark..." Warlow continued.

"In every species on earth: human, supernatural, animal, plant..."

"Is enjoined in the constant, never-ending conflict."

"Well, that's just depressing," Sookie concluded with a heavy sigh.

"It is simply the way of the Universes."

"'Universes'? What are you, God? _A_ god?" Jason asked Warlow then.

"I most assuredly am not," Warlow said with a benevolent smile at them both.

"And you're not a demon?" Jason asked suspiciously.

"No."

"Then what the blazes are you? Who are you?"

"Someone who loves you both very much," Warlow answered him simply.

Jason gave him a good once-over and then looked worriedly at his sister. "No, I think you love her a damn sight more than you love me."

Sookie rolled her eyes in great consternation and hung her weary head; on Warlow's face his smile only became broader.


	119. There Will Be Blood

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 119 There Will Be Blood

* * *

><p>"Jason, you sure you're okay to go to work?" Sookie was standing at the kitchen counter waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.<p>

"I'm fine, little sister—I don't feel dehydrated or nothing, not like I had been earlier in the week. Besides, I've got a ton of paperwork I need to get through and the stake out is tonight..."

"So, this Sweetie Des Arts—what's her story?" The brewer was done and she began making them both a cup of coffee.

"She was was dumped by her fiancee a couple of years ago—he left her for some shifter babe and apparently she's been on one ever since. She got this vigilante movement started here in Bon Temps; I don't know how or when she met Bud Dearborne but when she did, well, it was a match made in hell."

"It doesn't surprise me about him...not at all." Sookie thought back to all the unkind things Bud had ever said in her presence about vampires and his attitude about supernaturals in general.

"Well, it surprised the hell outta me...that he could feel strongly enough about them to want to hunt 'em down like it was open fucking season and shit...and that he could he could cheat on sweet 'ol Mrs. Dearborne, like that. Nobody has seen her in a long while, either..."

"Maybe she left him...here, hon..." she handed Jason his cup.

"Thanks, sweetheart...we've been working on that, Deputy Ellis and me; she had a farm—a pig farm her parents ran when her and Bud were kids—that's how long they've known each other...anyway, she took our class on a tour of it for a field trip, once. She owns the place now, but she hasn't been there and her sister in Idaho hasn't heard from her in almost a year."

"Did they get divorced or something?"

"No; when we asked Bud about her initially all he said was that she was 'traveling'."

"Well, that sure doesn't sound good..."

"No, it doesn't," Jason readily agreed with her.

"So, where all are you guys going tonight, anyway?"

"Well, Shreveport PD already scoped out Sweetie's place again and came up with jack—we're gonna hit the pig farm—it's here, on the outskirts of Bon Temps..."

"You want me to go to Bud's place, see what I can read from him?"

"That's a negatory, Sookie—he'd make you in a minute and probably worse—you stay the fuck away from Bud—me, Sam and Alcide have got this, you hear me?" Jason's warning was adamant.

"Loud and clear, big brother."

"Good. What do you have up for the day?"

"Hadley called me this morning all nervous and angsty—she's bringing Hunter over to play with the kids today."

"Cool! I hope I get to see 'em—I'm coming home before the stakeout for a bit, get some things collected before I meet Sam and Alcide. Where's Warlow?"

"Warlow is still in my room—we've got a heap more to talk about..."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know..."

Sookie gave her brother a little swat on the arm. "Go on already, hon, and we'll see you later—be careful, Jason."

"Alright, sis, you—" Just then Jason's cell phone rang; he looked at the caller ID. "Hey man, what's up?" he began pleasantly. Sookie watched her brother's face as his smile faded quickly away. "What? Yeah...uh-huh...uh-huh...fuck...and it ain't been twenty-four hours so they ain't doin' jack yet...uh-huh...Sam comes back tonight, right? Oh, this afternoon? Well, what do you want to do, man? I'll drop whatever, fuck Shreveport PD...alright, I'm just gonna check in to work and then I'm headed for you, man, hour and a half, tops...alright." Jason turned away from his phone with a look of shock and worry on his face.

"Jason? What is it, honey?"

"Luna—she's gone missing—her ex-mother-in-law is beside herself with worry; Luna left them last night after she saw Emma and they ain't heard nothing from her since...there's some kind of fundraiser at her school this morning—she was supposed to be there at six-thirty to help with the set-up and no one has seen her yet..."

"Maybe she's just running late..."

"I hope that's all it is...I gotta get going—I'm gonna meet Alcide and scope out her place—damn Shreveport PD ain't good for shit—I know you can't bend the rules for everybody, but she is a shifter and all, and they have been under attack, big time in her area, the fuckers..." he said disgustedly. He gave his sister a kiss to her cheek. "Wish us luck, sis..." he asked her as he headed for the door.

"Luck and all my prayers, too!" she called after him.

It was quiet in the house, but then again, it was Saturday morning; Timbo and Becky were still asleep and the babies were, too. Sookie poured herself another coffee and then went back to her room.

"I'm sorry—I didn't get anything for you, Warlow—do you even eat food and such?"

"I certainly do, but I'm good right now, thank you."

She had left him still sitting at the foot of her bed but upon her return she found him resting against the headboard, his long, lean body stretched out comfortably before him. She gave him a strange look and then settled herself in the chair next to the bed.

"Sookie, I know that you're tired—don't you want to get yourself to bed? Get some sleep?"

"I'm not ready to be seduced right now, thank you," she said testily.

"I'm not trying to seduce you..."

"So, when am I expected to—honor my wifely duties to you?" Sookie's tone was indignant.

"It's not like that, Sookie...we must get to know each other, yes? It has to be something that you want to do."

"Uh-huh...so...what? Are we gonna go out on Friday nights and got to the movies? Go on dinner dates? Host backyard barbecues for all of my friends where the girls all gather around and catch up on the latest 'Housewives of Whatever' and you and the guys drink beer and talk sports till your ears bleed?"

Warlow gave her a wry little smile. "You're selling life in Bon Temps rather short, aren't you, Sookie?"

"No, I'm asking you a serious question."

"You're angry and I'm sorry."

His simple acknowledgment threw her off guard. "Do you understand what's going on here? I mean, basically, your children are down here running riot: there are vampires at war with each other over coming out into the open versus remaining in the shadows, and regardless of what either group says they still all want to be free to eat humans cuz Tru Blood sucks ass; you've got humans at war now, with _all_ supernaturals, running around in groups under the cover of night in freaking Obama masks, just killing whoever the hell they want to; and now I find out that fairies are war-like assholes, just like every-damn-body else, and they're responsible for killing my parents. And you want to _court_? Everything about my life and the lives of people I love is under attack, Warlow, and I'm supposed to take time out with a demi-god to get my freak on?"

"I'm not a demi-god; or a demon, Sookie," he told her frustratedly.

"Then what the hell are you?" she shrieked at him.

"I'm someone who loves you," he answered her quietly.

"You said that before and it tells me nothing!"

"It should tell you everything, Sookie," he said sadly.

"Okay, okay, I don't mean it like that...but don't try to turn this around and put it back on me, Warlow, you know what I'm trying to say, here...it's not all that simple, just being about love—isn't there something you can do to help? I mean, it feels like the world is coming to an end, here."

"It is as simple as all of that, Sookie. What tears the world apart today is what has always torn the world apart: greed; the lust for power; fear; the absolute rejection of the fact that everything that exists on this earth exists for a reason and that all of those creations are loved by the One who created them—there are no abominations. Abominable actions? Certainly. But if a creature, whatever its incarnation, was born into this world, then it was meant to be, whether we may understand it or not."

Sookie looked down at her hands in her lap and shook her head. "That's so fucking simple it makes my head hurt," she said disgustedly.

"It is, isn't it? Horrifyingly simple." Warlow dared to smile at her.

Sookie looked up at him then. "Isn't there anything you can do to help, Warlow?"

"Every generation of man has gone through trials and tribulations that felt as if the end of the world had approached. Earth is still here. Even with all of the blunders, Earth is still here, because these things have a way of working themselves out. They would work out better if people would stop hating and start loving. Until the generation comes along that will put that plan into action, well, there will always be blood, Sookie. So, what can I do? Nothing. Except love you."

"I'm...I..." Sookie was at a total loss for words.

"_You_ need some sleep." Warlow rose from the bed, went to her and offered her his hand. "Come on, then—to your bed; everything is fine here for the moment: the children are safe; Jason will return to you again—this house is full of love...try to take some comfort in that? Will you do that? For me?"

"Yes," she said weakly as she got under the cover.

"Thank you." After she was settled he turned to leave her.

"Well...where are you going?" she asked him with just bit of alarm registered in her voice.

"Downstairs...I'll just be downstairs," he smiled at her before he left and closed the door quietly behind him.

* * *

><p>"Sam! I thought you weren't coming back until later this afternoon..." Jason said with a happy smile on his face at the sight of his two buddies, who were standing outside of the trailer that was Alcide's office.<p>

"Yeah, I came on back early. I called Alcide and he told me y'all were meeting here before you headed out to Luna's, so here I am."

"Well, alright. Let's roll in my cruiser, huh? In case Shreveport PD shows up with some crap..."

"Fine by me," said Alcide as he climbed into the back seat; Sam slid into the front.

"Let's roll..." said Jason as he started up the engine, ready to kick ass and take names.

* * *

><p>"You smell her man?" asked Sam of Alcide.<p>

"I sure do...I sure would like to know if her scent is just as strong on the other side of that door..."

"Well...the window is cracked there—hold on..." Sam shifted into a fly and went through the window; seconds later he opened the door to let Alcide and Jason in as he grabbed his clothes and got dressed. "Her scent is not as fresh in here as it is on the other side of the door..."

"She never made it in here...they got her at the door..." Alcide surmised.

Jason went back out and surveyed the porch; there were fresh leaves on the ground from trees and shrubs nearby scattered about but he noticed a little pile of long-dead moldy ones right on the ground directly beneath the rain gutter. "Hey guys..." he called to them

"Yeah?" said Alcide as he popped his head out of the door.

"Look at this..."

Sam and Alcide joined him on the porch.

"These moldy leaves were displaced from the rain gutter—somebody was up there and jumped her..."

"Got her quick before she could shift into something else and get away," Sam said to himself, "but why? They normally shoot us on sight—she was abducted...we gotta find her, Goddammit! I say we go to that fucking pig farm right now—she's probably still alive! Well, what are y'all waitin' for?"

"I think we should check Sweetie's place first," suggested Alcide.

"I don't think so—the police scoped her place out once, I don't think she would take that chance, guys," said Sam frantically. "I got a bad feeling about that pig farm—I think we need to get the hell going—yesterday..."

"But we're right here—it wouldn't hurt to make sure," Alcide countered.

"No, I think Sam is right—she was abducted; Sweetie wouldn't take her back to her house, not after the police have been there once. Look, y'all saw the video and Bud and his gang were all liquored-up and havin' their little hootenanny on a farm—that damn pig farm—and every minute we waste getting' there could mean the difference between finding Luna dead or alive. Now let's get the fuck on outta here..."

* * *

><p>"Well, people, it looks as if this is entirely an American problem..." said Andrej to the reassembled group at Kalvaryja. "We have absolutely no intelligence here that corroborates anything that Benjamin Pope told you about the WVF or that directive that Secretary Dowling claims that the American government received."<p>

"Are you sure?" Bill asked him in reserved disbelief.

"Quite."

They were all seated at the roundtable reading the latest report.

"He's totally playin' us...and either Dowling is in on it or Pope is playin' him, too..." came Trey's angry declaration.

"Well, in light of this development we should return to Louisiana and assist the AVL, yes?" Bill suggested to Andrej.

"Probably, but we're supposed to hear from Manners before we go to ground..."Andrej reminded him delicately.

"Just sit tight, Bill, huh?" Tara took his hand into her own under the table.

"You have people here that can deal with him should he resurface—surely we will be called back...sitting around doing nothing is driving me insane..." Bill muttered to himself.

"I think we all feel that way, Bill," Shashen'Ka said softly to him. "It's going to be a long night, everyone—please find some way to distract yourselves until our conference call with Chancellor Manners..."

"Yes, comrades—see you all back here at promptly at three a.m." Andrej dismissed them all.

"C'mon, Bill—let's have some fun and go fuck with Kosciuszko at Yanka Kapula—you need to blow off some steam and I need a good laugh..." Tara said as she took Bill by the arm and led him away.

"Come, Victor, our happy distraction will be business—we do have that audit to prepare for..."

"That is no happy distraction, Shashen'Ka," Victor grumbled as they left the room.

"Who are you telling? I haven't danced in weeks..." she complained and then they were gone.

Sarah and Trey nodded their goodbye's at Andrej and Vitaly but said nothing to each other as they left the conference room. Once outside Sarah took in the beauty of the cool night and headed down the walk toward the arched gate leading out of the cemetery. Trey followed silently and then realized that she was not heading for Tabah Tosti.

As if she could read his mind, but more because she noted the confused look on his face, Sarah smiled at him. "You know, we've seen practically nothing of this place—I just want to do a little sight-seeing, that's all." As they strolled along Trey remained silent, determined not to broach the subject that had been consuming him but one that Sarah didn't wish to speak about.

"Wow, this place is beautiful..."

Trey just nodded his agreement beside her.

"I've been thinking about what you said, Trey..."

"It's okay, Sarah, I got the message," he said sullenly.

"No, I don't think you did..." Sarah stopped on the path and turned to face him as she took one of his hands into her own.

"What?" Trey couldn't believe his ears or the feel of his hand in hers.

"I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...I've been thinking impure thoughts about you ever since that first night we met, you know, the night after the trial? We were both so scared, remember?"

"Yeah, I do."

"And you were so sweet to me, especially when you could see how much Nan hated my guts then, and all; and I kept thinking about how young you were but how manly you were, too...how manly you are, for such a young man; and I had to put those thoughts out of my head because of, you know, everything that was happening to us, but more because, well, I just couldn't imagine a young man like you feeling any desire for me. But what do I really know about a man's desire, huh? My husband was gay!" she let out an awkward, incredulous chuckle. "He was gay...he was, and I knew it, deep down. That was probably the sluttiest time of my life—not in practice, in thought—I had a very rich fantasy life, you might say, back then, and only one actual affair, that was a total disaster..." she trailed off disgustedly as she thought of Jason Stackhouse. "Anyway, all that to say that...I do desire you, Trey, I've just been fightin' it, because I have _a lot_ of hang-ups, or at least, I did...but I don't anymore and—"

"Sarah?"

"Huh?"

"Shut up," he ordered her through a happy smile before his lips descended upon hers.


	120. Never Anything Like This

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 120 Never Anything Like This

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><p>"You smell that?"<p>

"It's a pig farm, dude—hell yeah, I smell it..." Jason whispered back at Alcide.

"No, not that...you're one of us now, man—really use your nose..." Alcide growled his suggestion at his friend.

"I smell it..." Sam whispered at them both.

Jason closed his eyes and lowered his chin; for a reason unknown to him he stuck his tongue just a bit out of his mouth and concentrated on all of the other smells except the obvious one as he inhaled deeply; he opened his eyes in great shock. "This whole place—it smells like death...dead human bodies..."

"Damn straight..." Alcide concurred.

"What in God's name has been going on out here?" Sam asked under his breath in horror.

It wasn't quite noon when the three of them had arrived at the private locked gate that sealed off the lane that led to Delia Mayberry Dearborne's pig farm; the three men stood outside of it surveying the area.

"I should call for back-up, guys...even if nobody is here that smell alone is enough for me to request a search warrant..." Jason headed for the cruiser.

"Wait, man—how are you gonna explain it, huh? 'I smell dead bodies, Judge Carter, get me a search warrant'..." Sam said as he took hold of Jason's arm to stop him. "We got nothing, right now, that we can prove—we need to go in, Jason."

"Okay, fine, but I should still call for back-up—I was anticipating this stake-out tonight and I need to get Deputy Ellis on the horn..." Sam nodded his approval as he let go of his friend; Jason turned and darted to the cruiser.

"Alright...Kevin is on a call but we got a squad on the way and Rosie is standing by ready to put a call in to the judge if we find something," Jason told them both as he came back from the cruiser.

"Let me go in and see what I can see, huh?"

"I don't like that idea, man..." Alcide began with a frown on his face, "going in alone is not a good idea..."

"Look, this is one of the things I do best, man—get in, look around, get out and report back to the two of you back out here—you know I'm right...and we ain't got no time to lose, here, man," Sam said as he began to peel out of his clothes.

"Wait..." Jason's tone caused his two friends to look at him in alarm.

"What now?" Sam asked him irritatedly.

"Do y'all see any signs of surveillance?" Jason asked as he looked around the area.

"Do you think they're that smart?" asked Alcide disgustedly.

"Look, just come with me..."

"Jason..." Sam complained.

"Just shut the fuck up and come with me to the cruiser, man..." Jason ordered them both; the two men obeyed. When they were seated behind closed doors and tinted windows Jason explained himself. "Look, I'm willing to bet, with the hell that's been going on out here, that they got some kind of surveillance—I'm gonna err on the side of caution. So, just in case we're being watched, they know we got nothing and no right to enter this property; I'm gonna assume that they see us and sit here and wait for back-up—keep it all visually above-board—behind these dark windows. The three of us. Alcide, you're gonna crack your door, just enough to let Sam out; Sam, you're going change into something small and slip out as unnoticeably as possible, away from this vehicle and down that lane, yeah?"

"Gotcha."

The men waited a few minutes as Sam undressed.

"Okay, Alcide—now..." Jason instructed him.

Alcide, in the back seat, cracked his door just enough to let Sam, who had turned into a humming bird, zip out; Sam flew low over the field behind the gate then rose up high and disappeared through a copse of pecan trees down the lane.

Jason and Alcide waited in tense silence as the minutes crept by.

"Fuckin' fifteen minutes, man..."

Jason looked at his agitated friend in the rear view mirror. "Give him some time..."

"He probably needs help more than time..."

"Look, man, I feel you, but give him some time—if he ain't back in ten more minutes we fuckin' go in..."

Just then a line of police vehicles pulled up behind Jason with their lights flashing but sirens silent, headed by Deputy Kevin Ellis; Kevin got out of his car and came to Jason's window.

"What you got so far, Jason?" the soft-spoken man asked him when Jason rolled down his window.

"A whole lot of nothing, right now..."

"Well, what are you waitin' on?"

"Sam Merlotte is in there, he—"

Just then there was a loud thump against Jason's cruiser; Alcide jumped out to take hold of his friend, who collapsed against the front door in tears.

The other deputies, who had been milling about waiting for instructions, went on instant alert and ran to Jason's cruiser with their guns drawn.

"Sam! Sam? What happened, man? Sam?" Alcide took Sam by the shoulders gently.

"Stand down! Stand down! He's with us!" Jason barked at the men and women surrounding his vehicle. "A blanket! Somebody get me a blanket!" Jason shouted out as he rushed to his greatly distraught friend.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life..." Sam's horror was complete, as was his grief. "Get your search warrant, man...Luna...Luna...is dead," he managed to say before he broke down.

* * *

><p>"Well, Sookie, it looks like my work here is done, baby."<p>

The group gathered around the table across from her had just finished eating her famous catfish dinner and everyone was full and happy.

"Thank you for dinner, Miss Ruby Jean." Timbo, sitting next to her, gave her an appreciative kiss upon her cheek.

"You're welcomed, honey."

Timbo got up and began to clear the dishes away.

"I sure hate to see you go, Miss Ruby Jean...I appreciate every thing you've done for us...you just don't know..." Sookie said with a sad little smile.

"Baby, I'm just so glad you're better. I've actually got my own life to sort out, you know—I can't stay at LaLa's forever, either—I need to get a place of my own."

"I know he loves having you there..."

"And I love being there, but I think me and Buster would enjoy being closer in to town, especially since I don't drive anymore."

"Miss Ruby Jean, I know I haven't known you long, but it has been a pleasure..." Warlow took one of her hands and kissed the back of it sweetly.

"Yes, indeed...I have very good feelings about you, mister..." she smiled warmly at him; his happy smile back at her was almost joyously child-like. "Mmm-hmm..." she hummed as she fanned herself.

Even though Sookie was comforted at Ruby Jean's approval of him she gave Warlow an awkward look then darted her eyes away before he could catch her. "Well, if you need anything, please let us know, okay? And if you decide you want to come back here, well, you and Buster are welcomed any time, so don't ever act like you don't know."

"I won't baby. It may not seem like it now, but things are going to get back to normal—as normal as they can be in the world today—there's a lot of love in this house...in this family—in this town—it's what's going to save us all." Ruby Jean looked at them all then settled her gaze on Sookie.

Becky was moved to tears and jumped up from her seat to hug Ruby Jean mightily.

"I know baby, you don't even have to say it," Ruby Jean cooed at her. "And it's not like I'm leaving the country—I'll still come see you and you can come see me, too—especially when all of this mess is over with these damn vigilantes. Now, dry those up, hear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Come on up and help me pack my few little things...LaLa will be here in about an hour or so to take me home, huh?"

"Go ahead, sweetheart—me and Timbo have the dishes," Sookie smiled at the girl. Ruby Jean and Becky left the kitchen and Sookie got up from the table to help Timbo.

"I can help, too..." Warlow offered as he made to get up from the table, as well.

"No...no—relax yourself—we'll be done quick." Sookie gave him another curious look before she got down the business of putting away the left-overs and assisting Timbo at the sink. When they were done Timbo gave Sookie a kiss to the cheek, as well.

"I'm gonna go up and check on the babies and then help Miss Ruby Jean," he told her with a smile.

"Thanks, honey."

Sookie and Warlow were alone then in the kitchen and she found herself nervous under his gaze.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" he asked innocently.

"All happy and vindicated because Ruby Jean gave you her stamp of approval."

"She is my kindred spirit, Sookie; she is a woman who knows the power of love, that's all."

"And the power of flattery in the form of a chivalrous kiss to the back of the hand—you ham," Sookie accused him through a curious frown.

"Ah, Miss Stackhouse, you may not want to admit it, but you find that you like me...just a little bit...don't you?" He rose from his seat but did not approach her, opting instead to lean against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed over his chest as he smiled mischievously at her.

"Stop, already," she said seriously, "I'm worried about other things right now."

Warlow sobered. "Like what?"

"My cousin flaked on me today, which is not like her—well, not like her these days; I mean, she called me up all frantic and out of sorts and then never showed..."

"Did you try to contact her?"

"Of course—she didn't answer her phone and I can't raise her husband, either...and Jason should have been here, by now, as well—it's almost six—he said he would come here before his stake-out...and I'm worried about Luna; I don't know her very well, but Sam was awful close to her once and she has a little girl..."

"Sam?"

"My good friend, Sam—he's a shifter, like Luna; he's going with Jason, on the stake-out."

"Don't you think Jason just got busy with his work? Maybe he simply has not the time to—"

"I do like you, Warlow, and it's driving me to complete distraction!" she blurted out her admission at him.

"Then..."

"I mean, really..." Sookie started pacing the floor before him, "I'm kinda all over the place, right now; I'm worried about Jason and Sam and Luna; Miss Ruby Jean is leaving me—soon, when this other mess is all over, the kids will be leaving me, too—I'll be here alone—with you; and you're here, eating dinner and trying to help with the dishes? I mean, I've been with vampires—old vampires—thousand year-old vampires! I've met five-thousand year-old vampires—and you're...you're more ridiculously older than they are—I don't even _understand_ what you are! And I just got over a major heartbreak, and all, giving up the man—vampire—that I loved because...because...the end of the world that I'm so afraid of could be caused by me if the two us stayed together; and now, here you are, acting like Joe-From-Around-The-Corner...and you're nothing like I thought you would be—and I might add, your patience with me is frightening, appreciated, but frightening—and all of these conflicted emotions I'm feeling...I don't even understand how I can be feeling some of them. I didn't expect to be having any of these kind of feelings again, for a very long time, no matter how much healing I got in Faery, cuz ever since I've had those feelings they've caused me nothing but trouble..."

"Sookie.." Warlow called her name gently. She stopped her pacing and faced him.

"No, don't pull that ridiculous, mushy, chick-flick move where you stop all of my angsty yet adorable psychobabble with a passionate kiss..." she warned him; as she stuck her hand out to stop him she realized that he was not advancing on her in any way, shape or form, but was rooted firmly to his spot at the counter. "Okay, I will honestly say now that my delicate ego is way bruised and I'm really...I'm really..." she wanted to say that she was disappointed but couldn't get any more words out at all, which would have been necessary because disappointed didn't begin to cover all that she was feeling. The tears that sprang to her eyes then were pure tears of anger—at herself for opening her mouth and embarrassing herself so completely in front of him; with her cheeks burning red she walked up to him and unceremoniously pushed him out of her way; she retrieved a glass but bypassed the bottle of Southern Comfort for the one of vodka from the cupboard he was blocking.

"Don't do that..." he said softly as he put his hand to the bottle to stop her, "you don't need that..." he made to take it out of her hand and she angrily yanked it away from him.

"I guarantee you—I do." Sookie left him without another word.

Presently Warlow left the kitchen and joined Sookie in the living room, where she was stretched out on her couch enjoying a nice little buzz from three quick shots, twirling a strand of hair and humming along to a song on the radio. He took a seat opposite her but said nothing as she looked up at him.

"Oh...yeah..." she turned back away from him, "I bet you _are_ having seconds thoughts about this deal...come to tell me that it's all off?" Before he could answer there was a knock at the screen door.

"Knock-knock-muhfuckin'-_knock_, hookah!" came Lafayette's happy, playful voice from the door, accompanied by the snap of his finger and his trademark little dip. "Sook! Sook? Where my mama, girl? Hello?"

"Shall I?" Warlow asked as he rose from his seat, not waiting for an answer; the door was already open and he unlocked the screen for Lafayette to enter.

Lafayette gave the man a generous once-over as he came through the door. "Lord have mercy," he began appreciatively through the sensuous curl of his smiling lips, "who the fuck are..." his eyes grew wide then and he backed away from the man in awe. Warlow only looked down at the floor with an embarrassed little smile on his face.

"Lafayette! What's all this ruckus?" asked Ruby Jean as she came down with her bag and the all of the kids in tow. She looked and saw Sookie sprawled in the couch and the vodka bottle on the table then shot her curious gaze to Warlow.

"I tried to stop her, Miss Ruby Jean," he answered her gaze as if he was nothing more than a guilty schoolboy.

Ruby Jean gave a reprimanding shake of her head at him. "And LaLa—you're early..."

"A little bit..." he said in shock, still not able to take his eyes off of the Divine being before him.

"LaLa, that's Warlow—Warlow, that's my son, Lafayette. Lafayette, get her phone," she ordered her son. Lafayette shot his mother a confused, unappreciative look, but before he could say anything Sookie's cell phone was ringing on the coffee table.

"What the fuck?" he asked out loud as he retrieved her phone. "Hello?"

"Lafayette?" came Jason's confused voice.

"Yeah? What up, Jason?"

"Uh, is Sookie alright?"

"Lover, I really couldn't tell you that fo sho right about now," Lafayette said as he looked down at his inebriated friend, who was conducting an invisible symphony to the tune on the radio.

"Lafayette?"

"She okay, she just...feelin' happy at the bottom of her glass right now..."

"What?"

"Here, baby—it's Jason..." Lafayette handed her phone to her. "Mama, you ready to go? _I'm_ red-to-_go_..." he said as he shot a glance back at Warlow and smiled uneasily at him.

"Hush up, LaLa...this is important..."

"What? What? Oh, my God..." Sookie sat up and began to cry. "Oh, my God—no...alright..I'm coming..." she shut off her phone. "Luna is dead. Bud Dearborne and Sweetie Des Arts..."

"What?" Lafayette sat beside her on the couch and hugged her.

"Sam is a wreck; her daughter—Luna's—doesn't know yet—they're at the station..."

Ruby Jean put her bag by the front door and then took Corbett out of Timbo's arms. "I'll be with you a little longer tonight, babies," she cooed at him and then looked to the two concerned teenagers.

"Luna? Emma's mom?" asked Becky then.

"Yes, honey," Sookie managed. "We have to get to the station—I'm sorry, Miss Ruby Jean..."

"Hush, girl, and go—get a cup of coffee before you leave," Ruby Jean ordered her sternly.

"I'm sober, ma'am—believe me."

"Maybe, but not enough to drive—c'mon, baby girl..." said Lafayette as he rose and then took her hand.

"I'm coming with you," said Warlow as he went to the door and held the screen open for them.


	121. A Vow

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 121 A Vow

* * *

><p>After Sam had given his shocking preliminary report Jason went into immediate action and called Sheriff Kenya Jones back at the station; when he was done he called the squad of anxious officers over to his cruiser.<p>

"Alright, everybody, look alive," Jason said as his squad gathered around him; he conferenced with Sam and Alcide briefly before he spoke with them. "It's okay man? Alcide?"

"Yeah, I don't care, anymore—but you might want to hold off on tellin' them about you, Jason..." Sam suggested.

"I'm cool with it...and I think Sam's right about mentioning your particular news just yet, man," Alcide concurred. Jason nodded at them.

"I just got off the phone with Sheriff Jones and appraised her of the situation," Jason turned and addressed the squad then. "She's coming with the search warrant—now listen up to my buddy, so you know exactly what we're lookin' at here—these are both my buddies: Alcide Herveaux—y'all might as well know he's a werewolf; this is Sam Merlotte—you all know him—he's a shifter—these are the people we're trying to serve and protect and a very good friend of both of these men is on that farm and she's been murdered; Bud Dearborne is on the premises with Sweetie Des Arts—they're the masterminds behind this vigilante movement..."

A buzz went through the group of deputies, as many of them were hearing the shocking news of their former Sheriff's involvement for the first time as well as the revelation about Sam.

"Yes, I said Bud Dearborne, quiet down. We want them alive, so we're going in quiet—no lights, no sirens; this is the main entrance, down this lane, but we got woods in back of the farm people can escape into, so let's be mindful of that. Go ahead now, Sam—tell 'em what you saw..."

"There's a house immediately down the lane—Bud and Sweetie are there now, in a back room—some kind of control room, or something—lots of computers, monitors and I don't know what all, but they were working on something; there's three guys sitting on the porch—armed; there are four guys out back, where the barns housing the pig pens are. There's four huge pig pens—in two of those pens the pigs are ravenous, like they haven't eaten—ever. In the other two pens the pigs are more docile; they've been fed—I know they've been fed cuz there's fresh body parts all in the muck. My friend—Luna Garza—is dead in the basement and wrapped in a tarp—you're gonna find my finger prints because I uncovered her—she was the first body...there are three others—I didn't check them." Tears came to his eyes; he took a deep breath and went on.

"Now, what I smell out here, and you gotta trust me on this, underneath the smell of the pigs, is the stench of dozens of dead bodies—aside from probably feeding these pigs people, it smells like there's a mass grave out here, near the woods away from the house. That's all I was able to find out."

Everyone looked at him in shock.

"Alright, people," Jason called them all back to attention, "I ain't been able to ascertain if there's any surveillance out here or not—ain't nobody run out here yet with guns blazing, but that don't necessarily mean we're home free, here; we want 'em all, but, again I say—we want Bud and Sweetie alive most of all—you and you..." he pointed to two deputies, "You're command post; stay out here and wait for Sheriff Jones and be ready to radio in for ambulances and more deputies if when we need them; you five—" he pointed at three male officers and two females, "when we get to the house I want y'all to head immediately to the back, and stay on the horn with command out here while you do it—Sanchez, you're the lead...the rest of us storm the front, take the three men on the porch and get into the house—let's go get 'em..." Everyone gave him their nod of confirmation.

Alcide and Sam shifted into wolves and ran ahead of the deputies.

Jason led the charge onto the premises after they all got back in their vehicles by ramming the gate with his cruiser and speeding down the lane to the farm; he and his men jumped out of their vehicles about fifty yards from the open corral fence that surrounded the house and the farm.

"Heff...Parker...Morningside—stay in your vehicle and be ready to roll when I call you..." he instructed the three deputies. "Alright, people, move out..." he said to the rest then sprinted away to the gate; when they got to it Jason signaled four men to remain posted there with their rifles trained on the front door, where Alcide and Sam had already disarmed the three henchmen lying unconscious on the porch; each of them stood naked on either side of it, pressed against the wall trying not to be seen by anyone inside of the house. Jason and six other deputies advanced stealthily onto the porch and joined them. Jason gave them an appreciative wink as he signaled three of his men quietly to handcuff the perps knocked out on the floor; he got on his radio.

"Sanchez, come in—what you got?"

"We radioed to command—Sheriff Jones is ten minutes out with extra back-up...we got on eyes on four armed perps with semi's..."

"Copy that...perps out front are down, cuffed and being escorted to command—we're going in...be ready—out."

"Copy that—out."

Jason radioed Deputy Heff. "We got three suspects, all ready for three hots and a cot—come and get 'em...out."

"Copy that, Stackhouse—we're rollin'...out." Deputy Heff acknowledged him.

Jason waited for the three officers to come and haul the three suspects away and then turned to the rest of the squad. "Alright, people, this is it," he eyeballed everyone for confirmation and then eased Sam aside as another deputy handed him a bullhorn; he took his place beside the door—then knocked forcefully upon it.

"Bud Dearborne! Sweetie Des Arts! This is Bon Temps Police Department! We got your place surrounded! Come out with your hands up!" Immediately they all heard the sound of automatic gunfire erupt from the back of the house.

"Fuck! Sanchez, come in..." he radioed his comrade.

"Two perps down back here, copy that?" the man said frantically.

"Copy—you guys okay?"

"We're okay...Lewis just took off after a perp headed for the woods...God in heaven!" Sanchez screamed out then.

"Sanchez! Sanchez, come in!" Jason screamed into his walkie talkie.

* * *

><p>Inside the house Bud and Sweetie heard the gunshots and immediately grabbed their rifles.<p>

"Fuck! That sounded like Jason-damn-Stackhouse..." Bud groused.

"They can't come in here—they got no right!" Sweetie raged.

"I'll tell you what—I'll bet ya good money Kenya Jones is here with a search warrant—this ain't no fuckin' knock-n-talk, I know it ain't."

"What?" Sweetie asked him looking totally confused.

"Just stay here and secure that damn video, Sweetie—hide it somewhere good and if we get taken we'll get somebody back here to retrieve it—go on, now, hide that fucker—leave Jason to me..." he said as he put down his rifle and headed for the door.

"Bud? Baby?"

"Hide that fucker, Sweetie, now!" he hissed at her and then left.

The video in question had been shot on a camera phone that he and Sweetie had been editing on a laptop; they were almost finished with it when they heard the gunshots. Sweetie pulled the SD card from the slot and looked around the room desperately for somewhere safe to hide it; she spied a stack of bills on the desk in the corner and grabbed one, slit the unopened envelope just enough to be able slip the card in and then rambled about the desk drawer searching desperately for some tape, which she thankfully found; she taped it closed and then took a black Sharpie and ran a short line along the edge of it then placed it in the middle of the overrun stack. She scrambled back to the laptop and began to erase folders.

* * *

><p>"Jason? What the fuck, man?" Bud asked him angrily when he got to the front door. Before Jason could answer a police car came screaming up in front of the house and Sheriff Kenya Jones jumped out, a search warrant in her hand; she ran up the steps, nodded at Jason and the rest of the team then set her steely gaze on Bud.<p>

"Open up, Bud," she said simply.

* * *

><p>Out back a horrific scene had taken place. Two deputies had shot and disabled two of Bud's men: Tyrese Westbrook and Joe Bob Nevins, who both lay writhing on the ground in pain, both suffering a shot to the kneecap; Deputy Tanya Lewis had taken off in pursuit of Ray James, who had dropped his weapon and headed straight for the woods as soon as he saw the deputies edging around the back of the house and then his two friends go down; the fourth suspect ran inside one of the pig pens, a deputy hot on his heels, with Sanchez following close behind.<p>

Sanchez, on his walkie talkie with Jason watched as the two men struggled, was unable to get a clear shot on the perp as he tried to wrest the deputy over the rail into the pen, which was filled with dozens of ravenous, squealing pigs, following every move of the two men outside of the fence as they wrestled against it, in hungry anticipation of a meal. Sanchez dropped his walkie and fired a warning shot into the air to try and distract the perp, but the young man was too busy trying not to get thrown into the damn pen himself after the horrified deputy he was fighting realized what his aim was.

"Bon Temps PD! Put your fucking hands up! Now!" Sanchez shouted, but the perp had been knocked against the latch on the pen and all of a sudden the deadly pigs began to stream out and descend upon the two men while others headed for Sanchez; he took off for the barn door and managed to get on the other side and latch it shut just in time; he sank to the ground in tears as he listened to the horrific screams of the two men inside amidst the voracious grunts and squeals of the pigs eating them alive. His thoughts went immediately to poor Roger Hunt's pregnant wife, Rita, and his father, Joe, who would be devastated to learn what had happened to his only son. When other deputies ran to him to see what had happened Victor Sanchez—a twenty year veteran—was speechless and overcome.

Alcide approached the deputies then, covered in a blanket, and directed them to the sight of the barn door, where the pigs were knocking themselves against it, clamoring to get out.

"You fellas might want to do something about that," he nodded toward the shaking door. "Hand me a rifle—we need to get to the rafters and shoot every one of them before they manage to get out," Alcide suggested calmly.

Deputy Sanchez finally found his voice. "He's right," was all that he could manage to say.

* * *

><p>Back inside the house everyone heard the reports of gunfire.<p>

Sweetie stopped what she was doing only momentarily then got back to task when suddenly she heard the sound of rifles being cocked behind her.

"Bon Temps PD! Put your hands up and step slowly away from the desk!" a deputy barked at her. Sweetie gave a heavy sigh as she complied carefully with his command.

* * *

><p>In the basement, Jason and several other deputies had come upon the dead bodies that Sam had reported seeing; he had raised the first tarp and saw that it was indeed Luna Garza and then they all heard the gunfire and went into defensive mode." What the fuck?" Jason asked of no one in particular. Deputy Kevin Ellis got a call.<p>

"Stand down, people—they're just shooting the killer pigs in the barn, but I got bad news—Roger...Roger Hunt is down," Kevin said sadly.

Jason hung his head and said a little prayer, for Roger and Luna and the other poor dead victims in the basement; when he resumed his grim task he was at the third body and had another terrible shock—under the tarp was Crystal Norris.

* * *

><p>Upstairs Bud and Sweetie were in handcuffs and being led out as ambulances arrived to take the bodies in the basement away.<p>

* * *

><p>Back in the office, after the deputies had led Sweetie away, a fly flew away from the wall, landed on the carpet and became Sam. He went to the pile of bills and retrieved the envelope with the SD card in it. He took it to the laptop and quickly checked to see what the hell was on it. The first video he played broke his heart all over again and brought him to blinding tears. He yanked it out and stole out of the window as he heard deputies coming to sweep the rest of the house; he rejoined the others at the front of the house.<p>

* * *

><p>"Where you been man?" Jason asked him when they set eyes on each other.<p>

"He's a monster, Jason...he's a fucking monster—both of them are, and it's all on this fucking card, man," Sam told him as he handed it to him. "Protect it with your life, right now, Jason, and after you watch it make sure you destroy it, you hear me?"

"Uh, yeah, man..."

Sam noticed finally that Jason was pretty distraught, himself.

"What? What's wrong, Jason?"

"They had Crystal Norris in that basement, too, Sam," he said sadly. "Lord knows I was mad at her, but I ain't never wished no ill on her; she told me her pack had left her...she was out in Hotshot all alone and these fuckers got her...I don't think I can ever forgive myself...she told me she was alone..." he said, his voice full of raw torment.

"It's not your fault man—it's Bud and Sweetie and nobody else. And they're gonna pay for this..." Sam vowed quietly to his friend.


	122. Pressing On

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 122 Pressing On

* * *

><p>When Lafayette, Sookie and Warlow got to the Bon Temps Police station all hell was breaking loose; news vans from all over the country were parked outside and they had a time even getting through the front door. When they finally pushed through the throng reporters Sookie and Lafayette could see Sheriff Kenya Jones in her office in a heated argument with Federal agents trying to keep control over her jurisdiction of the case. Jason was at the reception desk with Rosie and Deputy Kevin Ellis waiting on a fax when he saw the three of them walk in.<p>

"I'll be back..." he told them both before he headed for his sister. "Hey, guys—come with me..." he took his sister by the arm and led her and the others to an empty interrogation observation room and closed the door quietly behind them.

"Jason, baby, what the hell is goin' on up in this bitch?" Lafayette was the first to ask.

"God, it's so much I don't even know where the hell to start, plus, I gotta leave soon to meet Eric Northman and the Authority..."

"Well, just start anywhere, honey..." Sookie suggested frantically.

"I'm gonna try to stay in some kind of cohesive order, if I can: Bud Dearborne and Sweetie Des Arts are booked and in custody; Bud killed his wife—he confessed; aside from running around in the night doin' drive-by's, him and Sweetie have been abducting shifters and filming the abductions before feeding 'em to the pigs on Bud's wife's pig farm...they got a few surprises, though—they got Luna and discovered she was a skin-walker when she impersonated one of their men and tried to escape; to help their twisted cause more they...they tortured her...made her shift into different people on camera—a video—to show to the world and get all humans involved in their campaign to kill all supernaturals. Now, all that shifting was literally killing the poor woman—when she wasn't no use to 'em anymore they shot her dead—one bullet to the brain; they...they had Crystal, too, Sookie—straight executed the girl and I don't know why; they had a few other local unknowns but the one that brought the Feds into it all was the son of Louisiana State Senator Tavis Sunderland...they had his boy, Armand..."

"Senator Sunderland is..." began Sookie incredulously.

"A shifter, that's right," Jason cut her off.

"How in the world did they get his son?"

"The last anyone knew about him was that he went to the frat party of some friends in Shreveport—he never made it home."

"Oh, my God..."

"So we got ourselves a real jurisdictional mess here, right now and I gotta go report in to Eric and Chancellor Manners...Sam is a wreck and I ain't too right in the head my damn self, right about now...and Martha's not here yet with Emma—I told 'em to not even come down here right now, but Sam is a wreck—oh, I said that already, huh?"

Sookie nodded at him sympathetically. "Where is Sam?"

"I'll take you to him, then we gotta go," said Jason as he put his hand to the door knob.

"'We'?" Sookie asked him.

"Sam's going with me—and Alcide, too."

"That video, Jason..." Sookie began worriedly.

"I'm taking it with us to show Chancellor Manners, then we're gonna destroy it. C'mon..." Jason opened the door to lead them out and suddenly Eric Northman materialized as if out of thin air, stopping them all abruptly in their tracks. "Damn, man!" Jason exclaimed after he recovered from slight shock of it, "I don't mean to be rude, but my nerves are just a little frazzled, man..." he griped at him.

"Sorry," he apologized to Jason simply. "Good evening, all..." he addressed the group as he gave a strange look at Warlow, "Jason—it's time to go," he informed him without taking his eyes off of the handsome creature that was standing protectively beside Sookie.

"I know, I was just going to get Sam and Alcide...c'mon, y'all..."

Eric stood aside to let the group by, looking down imperiously at them as they passed; there was a question in his eyes for Sookie as her nervous ones looked up into his, but neither of them said anything and his gaze followed her away; when Warlow exited last, and found that he had to look up slightly to meet his amused eyes that greeted his own which only served to anger him; he fell in behind them then and proceeded through the chaotic lobby and on to the holding cells, where Sam and Alcide were waiting in an empty open one beside Bud Dearborne.

"Sam!"

"Sookie!" Sam raced into her open arms and took refuge in them as he began to sob lightly.

"I'm so sorry..." she began, her heart breaking for him; she nodded her sad, quiet hello at Alcide over Sam's shoulder.

"Sookie, it was horrible...look, we gotta go—we only have a small window of time to talk to Bill and Tara and the team overseas—will you wait here for Martha and Emma? I know you don't have any details..."

"Sook, have Deputy Ellis with you when you talk to 'em—he can fill in the details they'll need until we can get back to them ourselves, hear?" Jason told her.

"Got it. You guys get going..."

"We're going to need you to come along, as well," Eric said then to Warlow. Warlow did not look surprised but Sookie's face was an explosion of confusion.

"It's alright, Sookie—I've had dealings with the Authority before...see you both soon," he gave a reassuring nod of his head at her and Lafayette and then left the holding cell hurriedly with the other four men.

Two armed deputies came in then to guard Bud Dearborne, who appeared to be more dead than asleep on his bunk in his locked cell. Sookie shuddered at the sight of him.

"C'mon, Sook—let's go get Kevin..." Lafayette suggested softly to her as he led her away.

* * *

><p>Eric had flown ahead of the other four men to Authority headquarters; when Jason, Alcide, Sam and Warlow arrived, Manners, the Delegates and the team overseas were already patched in for the video conference and had all seen the evidence of Luna Garza being tortured at the hands of Bud Dearborne and Sweetie Des Arts. They were all outraged.<p>

After everyone at headquarters was seated and settled at the roundtable Manners began the meeting.

"This meeting of the Authority is now in session, Chancellor Ridley Manners presiding. We'll dispense with the introductions because of the time difference and in deference to our World Vampire Federation members in Belarus, Magister Andrej Kuznetsov presiding, with the exception of the following, also in attendance this evening: Deputy Jason Stackhouse, Were-panther; Alcide Herveaux, Werewolf; Sam Merlotte, Shape-shifter; and our Divine Father, Macklyn Warlow."

There was an audible buzz on both sides of the laptop monitors; Sabeen Zaya and Antanas Valinsky knew Warlow but to the others he was as much a myth or completely unknown to them, just as Lilith had been. Warlow looked over at them and nodded a silent greeting at them which they both returned.

* * *

><p>"Divine Father?" Tara asked Shashen'Ka under her breath; Shashen'Ka just shook her own head at her in confusion.<p>

* * *

><p>"We don't have a lot of time. First, let me assure you all—there are NO traitors in this Authority. Next, Deputy Stackhouse—thank you for your diligent work in capturing the vigilante killers. What can we expect now?"<p>

"Well, I don't really know, Chancellor Manners. They're in jail; they'll go to trial; but the tide has definitely turned against all supernaturals and quite frankly, I'm afraid a jury of their peers could quite actually set those fuckers free," he said in genuine disgust.

"He's right, Ridley," Sabeen spoke up next. "Des Arts and Dearborne were going to send those videos to the Louisiana State Legislature and the Senate; no one knew Senator Sunderland was a supernatural and there's no telling how many others may be in government, but the one true thing Benjamin Pope told our comrades in Minsk was about the ultra-violet weaponry—we all know now that it is real; we haven't found any lasertoriums yet, but I more than believe they exist; I truly believe the American government is against us, as our meeting with Secretary Dowling clearly demonstrated; we know of the few vampire politicians that have come to prominence since 2007; we have no idea of the number of closeted supernatural politicians such as Senator Sunderland that may exist, but with the current mood of the country we can see why they remain so. They're no help to us now."

"Hi everybody," Tara greeted the group, "about those vampire politicians—why didn't they know anything about this? The lasertoriums...the UV weapons—how could they all be so out of the loop like that?"

"Very easily," Jhoro Daar assured her, "the true movement against us was not even imparted to the President; and human aides that vampire politicians employ can be bribed and bought like treats in a candy store—it has never truly been a trustworthy mix. Quite simply we were handed the bait and switch—the government never intended to proceed with us in good faith. No one will ever be able to convince me otherwise."

"The release of Miss Garza's torture video would have ignited a flame that could never have been extinguished—we're lucky it is in our possession..." said Ridley Manners as he motioned a vampire guard in; the guard was holding a small microwave oven which he set in the middle of the table and then plugged into a surge protector under the base of the table. Manners placed the SD card on the glass plate and set the microwave to two minutes. Everyone watched as the card degenerated and then burst into flames at twenty-five seconds. "No longer."

When the microwave stopped and Manners opened the door the acrid billowing smoke had no effect on the vampires, but Jason, Alcide, Sam and Warlow waved the foul fumes away from themselves vigorously; presently, as the smoke began to clear a bit he removed the melted lump from the scorched unit, which the guard came back for and carted away; he took it between his thumb and forefinger and crushed it further into oblivion.

"However, we are left with the very real fact that all supernaturals are still involved in this conflict together; as such, we must end the enmity between our species and _come_ together. I propose that we now include, within the Authority membership, individuals from each species to act as Liaisons for their kind between them and the Authority, for the good of us all, supernatural and human alike."

"Wait a minute, do you mean to include a human within our ranks?" Jake Hutchence asked angrily.

"You forget, Jake, about our Esteemed Friends of the Authority—I would have us choose one of them. Dr. Patricia Ludwig comes to mind, as does our Esteemed Vitaly Makarov."

"She's not fully human..." Jake countered.

"The humans wouldn't have to know that—and they shouldn't. If we ever find a full human worthy enough that would be a wonderful thing—but we all know that it is not likely; we also know that we cannot afford to make any more stupid mistakes."

Everyone on both continents seemed to agree as evidenced by the quiet murmurs of assent peppering both conference rooms.

"I appreciate your consideration of my friend, Ridley, but I cannot afford to lose Vitaly," Andrej told him emphatically. Truth be told Vitaly Makarov had recently been diagnosed with liver cancer and didn't know that Andrej knew it; Andrej was planning to make his trusted friend vampire, to save and reward him for all of his loyal service to the Federation—if Vitaly wished it.

"I understand, Andrej; though I would see either one of these fine candidates appointed, I merely use them as examples right now as to the high calibre such candidates must aspire to for consideration."

Vitaly nodded his appreciation at Manners for being so honored.

"And what of the Fae? Queen Mab will never allow any of hers to occupy such a seat," Roberto Bertone reminded them all.

"No, she would not, which is as it should be."

"You know well that I am forbidden to directly interfere in earthly matters, but I might be able to have some influence with Queen Mab, Chancellor Manners; at least her ear in this matter, and possibly a suitable suggestion from her as to one she might appoint in her stead as a liaison," Warlow told him.

"Thank you, Warlow, that would be greatly appreciated." He looked away from him and addressed all of the others. "The Water; the Sky; the Fire; the Earth—the Fae have done successfully what we should have continued to do—remain hidden and unknown from humans—I can admit that, now. I still hold hope for peaceful co-existence between supernaturals and humans, but if I had breath to hold, well, I would not," he said grimly.

There was a ripple of surprise then that washed over everyone in attendance.

"I am not admitting defeat, my friends, only facing a sad reality. It is a dark time in our history—the darkest ever, I think..." Manners looked over at Warlow again. "But what has been done cannot be undone—there is no choice but to press on.

"So, I nominate to this Authority, the following individuals present tonight, and would honor their service should they be so inclined to accept: Alcide Herveaux, to represent the Werewolves; Sam Merlotte to represent the Shape-shifters; and Jason Stackhouse to represent Were-panthers. The following individuals, not present tonight but open for consideration: Dr. Patricia Ludwig for the humans; Holly Cleary for the Wiccans; and one, as yet unknown, to represent the Fae by proxy. All Authority members opposed please say 'Nay'..."

The room was silent.

"All in favor please say 'Aye'..."

All seven members and Manners agreed.

"Let it be so recorded that the vote was unanimous. Now we shall ask our nominees if they accept." Manners stood up. "Alcide Herveaux; Sam Merlotte; Jason Stackhouse, please stand."

The three men rose from their seats.

"Will each of you accept this Authority's esteemed invitation to join us in our endeavor to foster peaceful co-existence between our species and alliance against any and all common enemies, and act as liaisons forthwith between vampires and our supernatural brethren?"

"I will," said Alcide somberly.

"Hell yes," said Jason defiantly, "and thank you for the honor, Chancellor...Delegates..." he looked around the table at them all and nodded his appreciation.

"Yes, I will," said Sam quietly.

* * *

><p>At Kalvaryja, Tara's proud smile could not be contained and it was infectious; she gave Bill's hand a gentle squeeze as she beamed at her friends on the screen before her. Bill, always pleased at anything that brought that smile to her face, raised her hand and kissed the back of it, never taking his eyes off of her.<p>

* * *

><p>"Let it be so recorded. I will move quickly to the next order of business, and this is for all of you, here and abroad: your services are needed wherever you choose to render them; we have determined that the biggest threat to us all is here in America; we must root out the lasertoriums, the manufacturing facilities of UV weaponry, those in charge of running them and the government officials who have betrayed us. We also understand that the matter of Benjamin Pope is still one to be dealt with. The decision is yours as to which endeavor it is that you desire to pursue. Please be advised that we are recruiting more individuals, as expert as yourselves, to do the same and we will gladly accept whatever your decision may be in this regard.<p>

"Please further be advised that the meeting that was to be held with the Continental Monarchs is canceled until further notice. We will now bid our team abroad good morning, as it is only minutes to sunrise. Thank you all for your service, past and continued. As ever, We are the One True Authority. Good morning." Manners signed off.


	123. The Freedom To Choose

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 123 The Freedom To Choose

* * *

><p>"Well, I guess I know who's going back home..." Shashen'Ka said with a sad little smile as she looked across the table and rested her eyes upon Tara.<p>

"We'll talk tonight..." Tara said as everyone rose in preparation to go to ground.

"You mean we'll say goodbye tonight," Shashen'Ka came around the table and gave her friend a knowing hug.

"Am I that easy to read?" Tara gave her a guilty look.

"In this matter—yes. I will miss you, but I more than understand, Tara."

"Me and Bill haven't even talked about it yet," Tara gave a look at him; the look on his loving face only confirmed that he knew their decision was already made and that he was in agreement.

"Well then," Andrej gave his American comrades a sympathetic smile. "Do not feel obliged to make your declarations now, friends; leave us a little hope that Sarah and Trey might need to at least discuss the matter before we lose them, as well."

Sarah and Trey looked knowingly at each other and nodded their silent agreement to each other.

"No, we don't need to discuss it, either—we're staying," Trey announced for them both.

Shashen'Ka hurried over to them and gave them each a happy hug.

"Yeah...I want to find Pope and confirm one way or the other what his real deal is—and if he has any useful information to share—or not," Trey told them all.

"And if he does not? What would you do?" Bill asked him then.

"If it was my decision to make I would take him out—and cross one less minion of Octavian Valerius off the list. But since that's _not_ my decision to make I would follow whatever directive I was given by my elders and follow that directive accordingly." Bill gave him an approving pat upon the back.

"First and foremost you be careful, Trey—either way it goes we wish to have another happier—and triumphant—reunion with everyone in this room, yes?" Bill smiled warmly at him.

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, all—we've taken it to the limit—to ground we must go," Andrej said as he ushered them all away.

* * *

><p>Sam, Warlow, Jason and Alcide left the vampires and made haste back to Bon Temps PD.<p>

"Who is dude in the back seat, man?" Alcide asked Jason quietly.

"Warlow, man," Jason answered him as if he'd been asked the stupidest question in the world.

Alcide couldn't help but to chuckle. "I know his name, man, but _what_ is he?"

Jason gave him a funny look and then set his sight back on the road. "It's a long-ass fuckin' story, man..." he said to his confused friend.

"Divine Father?" Sam dared to ask the other-worldly man sitting beside him on the backseat.

"That is what the vampires have always called me," Warlow said simply.

"So..." Sam hedged, unsure of exactly what to say next or how to even frame the words. Warlow put him out of his misery.

"It's a long-ass fuckin' story, man," he echoed Jason's remark at the befuddled man through a warm smile as the cruiser sped down the road and sliced through the dark night.

* * *

><p>When the four men got back to the station some of the pandemonium had settled; the FBI was still in effect but most of the press had left. Jason excused himself to go and lend his assistance to Sheriff Jones and find out what had transpired in the brief time that he had been away; his three companions went to find Sookie. They found her in the observation room they had been in before, this time with Martha Bozeman and her granddaughter, Emma, who was sobbing quietly in her grandmother's arms.<p>

"Sam..."

"Martha...I'm so sorry, darlin'..." he went to them both and hugged them mightily.

"Sam..." Emma turned away from her grandmother, wrapped her arms about him and buried her face in his neck.

"Oh, sweetheart, you just don't know how sorry I am, baby..."

"I want to go home now...with you...I want to go home..." her tears began to intensify; Sam gave Martha an awkward look. "I...I know...mommy wanted me to...to...be with...with you...if...if...anything...if any...thing..." the girl was having difficulty getting the words out through her choked sobs.

"Shh...shh, now...you have to calm down, sweetheart, if you can—take a deep breath baby...that's it..."

Everyone in the room looked and felt awkward; Sookie spoke up delicately. "Come on everybody..." she ushered Lafayette, Alcide and Warlow out of the room without another word. Alcide hesitated. "Come _on_, Alcide..." Alcide allowed her gentle push against the middle of his back and went on out of the room as she closed the door gently behind her.

"Emma, listen to me, sweetheart: I love you, as much as if you were my own daughter, honey, but I got no rights to keep you legally, do you understand what I'm saying? Your momma and me weren't even together anymore—I have absolutely no right to take you in, baby, that's the law. Now, you have your grandmother here, and she loves just like she was your own momma, baby; she's your flesh and blood, Emma, and she's a wolf, like you.

"Now, I hope she'll let me be a part of your life, but you have to know, as much as I love you, there ain't nobody in this world that's gonna love you, take care of you—_understand_ you—like this beautiful woman right here—nobody, sweetheart. You just have to trust me on that. I know your momma had her differences with your grandmother, baby, but you know how I've always felt about Martha and how I tried to get your momma to understand the same thing I'm telling you now. Martha and I both love you, baby, and I'm honored that your momma trusted me enough to want me to see about you—but you belong with your grandmother. It's more than the law; it's more than my love, Emma—it just what's right, honey."

In her seat Martha was in tears and thankful that Luna had latched on to such a wonderful man even if she wasn't able to hold him; she had never known the particulars about any of that but after she had met the man none of it had mattered; what mattered was that regardless of what had happened between them he had loved her daughter-in-law and her granddaughter genuinely; he had remained a true friend to them both and had been her friend, as well, and he would always have a special place in her heart.

"Do you understand me, Emma? Come on now...if you break this wonderful woman's heart you gotta know you'll be breaking mine, too..." he pleaded softly.

"Yes, Sam..." Emma managed through her sniffles.

"That's my girl. Now look, I'm gonna be checking in on you two every day, you hear? That is, if it's okay with—"

"Oh, Sam, you don't even have to ask," Martha got up and hugged them both.

Outside in the hall Alcide was fuming.

"If she had just come and stayed with us that little girl wouldn't be motherless now," he grumbled to no one in particular.

Lafayette could see the storm brewing on Sookie's face and fanned himself as he took a step back and waited for her to blow; he put a warning hand to Warlow's forearm and pulled him back with him. "Watch out sweetness, here it come..." he told him under his breath.

"Alcide! I don't even believe you! If these fucking vigilantes hadn't been so full of hate that little girl wouldn't be motherless right now, shame on you!" Sookie snapped at him furiously. "And shut the fuck up, here they come," she scolded him further as the door opened.

Sam was holding Emma in his arms and was followed out of the room by Martha.

"Come on, Alcide—it's time we took Emma back home," Martha said to him then. Alcide let out a sigh of relief. "Sookie, thank you for being here for us and thank your brother for me, too."

Sookie gave Martha a hug.

"Okay, Emma, I'll see you both tomorrow, huh?" he said as he handed off the exhausted girl to Alcide.

"Okay," she said sadly.

"Alright now."

"I love you, Sam." Her tears began to flow again.

"And I love you right back," he gave her a kiss to her cheek. "You let Martha and Alcide get you on home now and get some rest, hear?"

"Okay."

After they were gone Sookie put a gentle hand upon Sam's shoulder; he turned to face her.

"Are you okay?"

"I will be in time. I think I just want to go home now, call Zola and let her know that at least I'm okay."

"I'm sure she'd really appreciate that," Sookie smiled at him as she rubbed his shoulder.

"I would if I was home," came the soft, sad voice of the woman approaching them.

"Zola? Sweetheart? What...what are you doing here?" On Sam's face was a mixture of shock, joy, confusion and relief.

"I saw the news about Armand Sunderland and as soon as I heard the word Bon Temps...well, I drove on out, honey. I hope you don't mind...but I figured...I thought I would just..." she began awkwardly.

Sam rushed to her and took her thankfully into his arms; when he released her he had no words but his thanks and his love for her was written all over his face; at that moment no one else in the world existed for him and they walked silently away and out of the station.

"Damn!" exclaimed Lafayette, fanning himself furiously, "who the hell was that?"

"Mrs. Merlotte," Sookie said wistfully as she looked out into the darkness beyond the station doors, "anytime now..." She was happy for Sam, truly, deeply happy. She turned back to him only to find Warlow watching her intently; she blushed under his scrutiny, but neither of them said a word.

Just then Jason came over and broke the spell between them as they reluctantly tore their gazes away from each other and upon him. "Hey, y'all, you can pretty much figure that it's gonna be an all-nighter for me. Thanks for everything, Sook, and thank you too, Lafayette...and you too, Warlow..."

Warlow only nodded at him.

"Sho nuff, lover. I'm gonna get us all back on home now...you sure you okay, Jason? You don't look too good..." Lafayette frowned his worry at him.

"I'll be alright, I just need to lay my head down but we're still goin' through it with the damn feds...just as soon as I can get away, man...oh—I gotta go..." his eyes went to Sheriff Jones, who was waving him over. "See y'all at home..." he rushed away to her.

"Well, I guess that leaves you to tell us what happened at the Authority..." Sookie looked up at Warlow.

"It's late, Sookie—shall we concentrate on getting home safely now?"

"Well I sho would like to hear what happened," Lafayette balked as the three of them headed for the door.

* * *

><p>It was a short ride home but Warlow managed to relay the most important aspects of the meeting to Sookie and Lafayette.<p>

"Wow." Lafayette threw the gear of his truck into park, cut the engine and just stared at nothing in particular through the windshield. "They damn sho got they work cut out. And Tara's comin' home." He looked at Sookie as a little smile began to form on his face.

"We don't know that for sure—she and Bill might decide—"

"Tara...is comin' home," Lafayette cut Sookie off with a confident look on his face. "Ain't now way, with all the shit goin' here, _and_ the freedom to make her own decision 'bout where she wanna be, that she ain't comin' back to the states, girlfriend—act like you know..." Lafayette jumped excitedly out of his truck headed for his mother, beating Sookie and Warlow to the front door. "Come on, y'all—chop-chop..."

While Sookie and Warlow took turns explaining the events of their evening to Ruby Jean, Timbo and Becky, Lafayette was on his cell phone in excited conversation with Jessica.

"Well, it's getting late, children—we all need to concentrate on trying to settle down just a little bit and get some rest..." Ruby Jean said to them all.

"You sure you two don't want to stay one more night? Lafayette, you're really okay to drive?" Sookie asked him with a worried frown.

"Girlfriend, not only am I okay to drive, I'm wired like a motherfucker—I ain't gettin' no sleep tonight and Jesus been blowin' up my phone up with texts—I thank ya, but I'm good. Come on, Miss Ruby Jean," he said as he picked up her bag by the door then gave his friend a kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you so much for staying with the kids," Sookie said to Ruby Jean next.

"Oh, hush now—you all settle yourselves down and be ready to see to Jason when he gets here—that boy's gonna be exhausted...I love you all..." she gave each of them a hug and a kiss and then she and Lafayette were gone.

"Well, guys, you heard the woman—let's call it a night, huh?"

"Alright, aunt Sookie, but we wouldn't mind waitin' up for Jason," Timbo told her.

"He's gonna be tired, sweetheart...I doubt he'll make it past the couch when he gets here—you'll see him in the morning. Go on now, both of you—try to get some sleep..." she shooed them lovingly away. As they went up the stairs they heard one of the babies crying.

"I'll go," Becky said as she made to race away.

"You will not—go get some sleep—that's an order," Sookie told her firmly.

Warlow followed Sookie to the bedroom serving as the nursery and watched her as she took Michelle out of her crib and tended to her.

"Are you wet? No..." she cooed at her as she felt her Pampers, "you must be hungry, then, huh? Come on sweetie, let's get you a bottle..." Sookie looked in Corbett's crib and saw that the boy was fast asleep and dreaming. "I hope it's something sweet," she whispered at him as she watched his closed eyelids twitching and fluttering every so lightly, smiling in his sleep one second then shaking it off gently only to smile again at God only knew what. She tip-toed away with Michelle, who had settled down as soon as she was picked up, and went with her to the kitchen, Warlow right behind her.

Michelle began to fuss again as Sookie warmed her bottle.

"Yep, well just hold on a second, sweetie, it's almost ready..." Sookie shook a drop onto her wrist. "Okay, here it is..." and she sat down at the table with her. Warlow quietly took a seat directly opposite from her.

"You're a natural, you know" he said softly to her. Sookie only smiled at him before she settled her gaze back onto Michelle, who was feeding voraciously. "Oh my, sweetheart, slow down just a little bit..."

Presently, she looked back at him. "Warlow, have you met Eric Northman before?"

"Not before tonight, no. Sabeen; Antanas; Ridley; Nora; Jhoro—yes—I know them well."

"Then how did he...how did he know who you were? What you are?"

"The same way that Lafayette recognized that I was something different—the same way that you knew when you saw me for the first time the other night," he smiled at her warmly.

"Hmm..." she sighed quietly; she took the bottle away from Michelle, put her over her shoulder and gently burped her. "That's my girl..." she cooed after the babe let out a hearty little hiccup of a belch; she settled her back in her arms again. "You want more or are you good? More? Okay..." she said as Michelle took greedy hold of the nipple again and threw her little arm around the bottle. "Oh my..." her possessive hold on the bottle made Sookie chuckle. "Wow, little girl..." was all that Sookie could manage and Warlow chuckled, as well.

"You have another question, Sookie..." he accused her through a smile.

"I do but...I'm tired—I'll save my questions until morning, huh?"

"That sounds like a plan. I think she's done, there..." he nodded at Michelle, whose grip had loosened upon the bottle and was only barely sucking at the nipple through closed eyes.

She rose with the baby, put the bottle in the sink and then headed back upstairs; she settled Michelle gently in her crib and left the babies quietly and met Warlow, waiting in the hall for her.

"Well, it's been quite a night, huh?"

He nodded at her.

"Thanks for going with me—and everything else," she said awkwardly.

He nodded silently again.

"I'm gonna get some sleep now."

Again, only a silent nod and that sexy, smoldering smile.

"I...uh..." Sookie was nervous and didn't really know what else to say to him.

Warlow took her hand and led her to her bedroom door, then opened it for her. "Good night, Sookie," he said, his hand still upon the door knob.

"Oh, yeah, well...good night." She gave him one last, uneasy, lingering look and then went on into her room before he shut the door quietly on her.


	124. Not Your Mother's Mayberry

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Ch 124 Not Your Mother's Mayberry

* * *

><p>The repercussions behind the tragedy earlier that day, by then dubbed The Mayberry Pig Farm Incident by the press, were being felt around the globe and beyond. In America and all corners of the world, the debate was raging full-force in the news media and all pundits were weighing in; Senator Tavis Sunderland and his late son, Armand, had become the poster children for not only the polarizing views on the rights of shape-shifters and vampires, but for all supernaturals, which many in the world beyond Bon Temps were becoming acquainted with for the first time.<p>

The supernatural community was becoming vocal, as well, and the Authority had gotten millions of hits from vampires and other supernaturals on their website who were requesting another town hall meeting to address their own concerns about the obvious fear spreading through the human population. It appeared to one and all that the VRA was totally dead in the water, and the general consensus that the Authority noted amongst their own constituents was that the supernaturals were not going to stand idly by and wait for the witch hunts and inquisitions to begin; if it was war that humans wanted then it would be war that they would give them.

There were few on either side that had been able to calm the rising furor; the Authority knew that they had to act, and quickly. Nora Gainesborough had been approached by a few well-meaning human VRA sympathizers and organizers from branches of the former support groups, but their numbers had steadily dwindled after the debacle with Russell Edgington and the very obvious fact that not all vampires were down with the VRA, as they were still attacking and killing humans at their pleasure. The fact that there were now other supernaturals to consider and be protected from was wreaking further damage to the cause sending many more of sympathizers back to the other side and to their own inherent sense of self-preservation.

The last thing Nora and Ridley Manners had discussed before they went to ground was the need to get Holly Cleary and Queen Mab's proxy on board immediately so that they could address the American supernatural contingent as soon as possible. They had left it to Sam, Alcide and Jason to approach Holly Cleary and were waiting to hear back from the Divine Father after he spoke with Queen Mab.

In the waning hours before sunrise, Eric Northman approached his guests and his sister, at his home in Shreveport, with questions of his own.

"So, who is he?" he asked of no one in particular, his voice quiet and full of anger.

Seated in the great room with Pam, Ginger and Chow, Sabeen and Antanas looked uncomfortably at each other and then at Nora; Nora gave them a smile and a nod and then addressed her brother.

"Eric, we are all children of God; as God is our heavenly father, Macklin Warlow is a Son of God—what the Greek called _Grigori_, the Watchers; what humans in general call Fallen Angels. But these Sons of God were not fallen; they were not cast out of heaven, they came from the heavens with God's blessing—the Angelic Descent—and had their way with human women, whom they found desirable and much unappreciated by their human male counterparts. From these unions the Nephilim were begotten and some of them were the champions of humans, while others were their greatest foes; to such an extent that God had to smite the worst of them and send them to their destruction in the Great Flood upon earth. We, and every imaginable supernatural in creation, are the progeny of the Sons of God, Eric, the better ones that survived the flood.

"The Sons of God, the Divine Fathers as we know them now, are still permitted to come to earth and have relations with human women, but the only women that can accommodate them properly are Fae hybrids...like Sookie. Contracts written and agreed to, in the Time Before Time, set the arrangements for these unions, agreed to by Queen Mab and the head of the family of the promised woman and the covenant was signed in blood. Sookie was promised to Warlow before any of us in this room was even a thought in the universe, Eric. Even she didn't know anything of him until recently."

"He's why she...ended it with me, then..." he declared almost inaudibly.

"Sookie ended it with you because of the legacy of Lilith, Eric, first and foremost; and the danger she represented had she fallen victim to the same fate as Lilith; that, we all know now, must _never_ happen again. Sookie removed herself from that equation, sacrificing her love for you, before she ever knew about Warlow, Eric."

"How do you know that, Nora?"

"You know that before she went inside of herself she had determined not to be the cause of anymore death and destruction and you had both wisely decided against making her vampire, already; she most certainly would have learned more from Queen Mab about Lilith and how exactly correct her instincts had been not to follow through with becoming vampire, Eric, then about Warlow—the Queen is the only person who _could_ have imparted that information to her. Regardless of whether Warlow had come into the picture or not, she would have ended it with you, Eric."

"And Warlow? What part does he play in all of the rest of this madness?"

"None. He is forbidden to interfere directly in any matters here on earth or to sire any children from his conjugal visits."

"Conjugal visits? He's just here to fuck her?" he asked her disgustedly.

"No...I don't mean it like that...though these unions are arranged the women are not taken by force; the union commences upon her desire, not the Divine Father's—he courts her, so to speak, and the union lasts as long as the woman desires him—it could last only very briefly...or the rest of her natural life, if she so chooses. It's actually all rather sweet, and very much a matter of making sure that which happened with the Nephilim before never happens again."

"How do you know so much about it? And about Sookie?"

"I know about him and those like him as I knew about Lilith when many of our own kind did not—it is not a matter of open and public consumption, hmm? As to Sookie, Claudette told me when Sookie came back from Faery that she had been promised to a Divine Father but that was all that she told me. I've met Warlow before and when I saw him I knew exactly what and who he was here for."

Antanas and Sabeen also knew the ramifications of Warlow's presence on earth and sat silently watching as the others took in the information: Chow just looked comically confused, but on Pam and Ginger's faces were looks of true sorrow and heartbreak for their beloved Maker.

"Well...thank you for the edification," he said bitterly. "On to other matters now—Pam...Ginger..."

"Yes, Eric?" they both sat up at attention and responded to him in unison.

"I want you to go with Sam Merlotte and the others tonight to talk with Holly Cleary, yes?"

They both nodded.

"Nora and Chancellor Manners are preparing to host another town hall meeting and we need to have everyone in place within the next forty-eight hours; I understand that Warlow is in Faery as we speak, consulting with Queen Mab?"

"Yes, Eric," Nora assured him.

"Alright. Chow and I will be working with Jhoro Daar and Jake Hutchence, in the meantime, canvassing the Continental Monarchs to try and sniff out any traitors sympathetic to Benjamin Pope's agenda as well as anything else they can tell us about anything they've heard about these secret Florida Rooms that have allegedly been peppered throughout the country. I think we can pretty much figure that Bill and Tara will return—Sabeen...Antanas...will you be staying here or going abroad, as originally planned?"

"Bill and Tara are most definitely coming back, my Liege," Sabeen spoke up, "I had a call from Trey before he and Sarah went to ground and he confirmed that; he and Sarah will stay and continue to seek out Benjamin Pope—Antanas and I will go ahead as planned to Minsk and join them, but we'd like to wait until Bill and Tara return and assist you in any way that you may require of us until we do leave."

"Thank you, that would be most appreciated. Please join me and Chow, if you would, we have a lot of ground to cover."

"Certainly," Antanas answered for them both.

"Alright...let's start by divvying up some of these territories we need to hit before we go to ground, yes?" he said as he went over to a map on the wall.

* * *

><p>In Sam Merlotte's trailer, in the cool quiet night, he lay with the woman who had captured his heart, happy to hold her and thankful that she was there.<p>

"I'm sorry, sweetheart..." he began sheepishly as he put his forehead to hers and looked his apology into her eyes; Zola smiled at him.

"Stop it—I don't care about that now—you've been through hell today—I'm just happy to be here, glad that you're alright, Sam..."

"Yeah, but I want you so bad..."

"You have me, Sam...you have me..." she murmured at him before she kissed him. "You have me."

"I can't believe this is all happening...it's like the whole world is being turned upside-down...I keep thinking about what those poor people went through before they died...I think about the lives lost today, on both sides...I just don't have enough words for the horror of it all."

"I know...on the way here aunt Evelyn called me—her boyfriend, Joe Hunt?"

"Oh my God, yeah...Roger was his boy..."

"She was devastated and told me that Joe is absolutely inconsolable...just so much heartbreak, Sam..." her voice faltered as she tried to stave off tears.

"Hey...hey...c'mon now..."

"I...I can't help it, Sam...I've always been a bit of an emotional sponge..."

"Huh?"

"When I was about twenty-four I met this guy: much older, handsome, single—I thought divorced—one beautiful little four year-old daughter; we dated and I liked him a lot, but there was just this pervasive sadness lingering over him, especially in his house. Well, come to fucking find out, he was a widower—a recent widower—his wife hadn't been buried even two fucking months!"

"Damn..."

"Yeah. I thought the dirty looks I was getting from his family and friends, that he had the nerve to introduce me to—even his fucking father-in-law over the fucking phone—were because I was half his age and that they probably viewed me as some young, gold-digging ditz, you know? Well, it was that, too, but mostly because the woman—his wife—wasn't even cold in the ground!"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Never said a word about it."

"How did you find out?"

"His angry step-daughter told me. You can imagine _that_ conversation..." she said disgustedly as the memory came flooding back to her, "and I found out how she died—an aneurysm. Got up to go to work one day, had a headache, collapsed, went into a coma and never woke up again."

"Wow."

"Yeah, and I wasn't the only woman he was seeing, either—he had been carrying on with a friend from work and some other chick—some big-wig headhunter that was always flying around the country and needed him to come get her from the airport all the time—for a _ride._.."

"What a bastard..."

"Anyway, the little girl was a sweetheart, just a total sweetheart, and in so much pain because he had never talked about her mother. There were pictures all around, beautiful reminders everywhere, all over the house, but he never talked about her; it was like, he moved on with his grief with no feeling about anyone else's, you know? So, I'm about two months in to this disaster and it's almost Christmas—the first Christmas without mom—and the little girl was missing her mother something awful; having tantrums that soon elevated to all out cries to see her mommy. Sam, to say that my heart was breaking for her doesn't begin to cover what all I was feeling.

"I was having dreams about the woman; I was feeling that little girl's pain, Sam. I became depressed; all I could think about was how awful it was to lose your mother at any time, but especially such a young age; I grieved the woman and the ones she left behind and I didn't even know her. The final straw was Christmas Eve; he came home with a tree and I just burst into tears thinking about the decorations that she wasn't there to place on it; the songs on the record player she wasn't there to sing to her daughter any more—I was consumed with grief and a total wreck. I ended it with him that very night, kicking my ass for being a party to anything to do with him at all, and especially after I found out the truth."

"Oh, sweetheart..." Sam hugged her tighter.

"All of that to say, I felt your pain over Emma—I was there when you went in with her and Martha and the rest; and I've been feeling your pain over Luna, too. Every time you talked about her there was just so much sadness there; when Martha called you the other night, I was just—overcome with jealousy and sadness, Sam, but mostly sadness. I was hoping everything was alright with her, I really was; and I kept wondering: what in the world happened that a wonderful man like you was not still in her life? To be there for her? Protect her? What was she going through? Why weren't you two still together? I could tell that you loved her—I just couldn't imagine what in the world had happened between you that had allowed you into my life instead of still being in hers. And then when I saw you with Emma it just nailed it—you love that little girl like crazy and now she doesn't have her mother...and I still feel like...like an interloper..." Zola began to cry.

"Oh, darlin'...my God..." Sam was amazed at her. "Stop this..." he tried to calm her down. "I did love Luna, but she _was_ full of sadness; I never knew why; but it sure kept us at cross purposes. Her husband was a wolf and I never knew what all happened in their marriage to break them apart because she would never talk about it; but she was just about the angriest woman I ever knew—even angrier than Tara; you didn't come between anything with me and her, it had been over by the time I met you. And yes, I still cared about her; but I was going through my own particular torment over Tara becoming a vampire and losing her; I loved her but I never really gave my whole heart to Luna...there are just a shit load of reasons we didn't work out, honey.

"When I met you I was in the happiest place I'd ever been in my life; I was whole and I had worked through all of my worst demons, not expecting to meet anyone but ready to give her my real self and all of my heart, if I ever did; no, darlin', my woman is right here, in my arms, you got that? And I do love that little girl; if she didn't have a grandmother who loved her so much I sure would have tried to keep her, if I could have—I would have tried to adopt her. But she does have a grandmother, thank God, and she has a pack to look out for her and she needs them more than me, honey; she's gonna be alright—she has a lot of love in her life and I'd love for you to meet her sometime."

"I...I would love to meet her, Sam, I really would..." Zola said as she tried to control her tears. "It just doesn't make any sense...that she's without her mother...these fuckers that killed her...my God! To have to live in fear like that, all of your life because we...humans...are so intolerant...so afraid of what's different..._who's_ different—a world of hurt and death, senseless death...it's overwhelming, Sam...I'm amazed that you want to have anything to do with me at all.."

"Honey, please try to calm yourself...there's good and bad in every species—I know where your heart is..."

"I was afraid I was pregnant, Sam—my period was late when you left me and I was afraid; afraid for Luna; afraid you; afraid for our baby—but there's no baby. And I want your babies, Sam, but should we even bring any into this world?"

"Zola, you have to try and calm down, honey..." he said then, truly beginning to worry about her as he sat up and pulled her up with him. I'm sorry you were so worried, but if you'd have said something I would have told you weren't pregnant," he smiled at her.

"What?"

"The day you're carrying my baby I'll know it—I'll smell her on you—or him, as the case may be."

"What?"

"Yep, I'll know it before you do," he assured her with a loving smile.

Zola just sat there, and continued to look at him in quiet shock.

"I don't think there's a parent alive or dead that hasn't, in any generation of life on earth, uttered that very question, honey—yes, we should have children, Zola; if God says so, we should have them. You hear me?"

Zola started to cry again as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Oh darlin', you just don't know what it did for my heart to see you come walking up to me in the station tonight—we're all gonna get through this...you just keep loving me and I promise I'm gonna keep loving you, huh?" he said softly.

Sam felt Zola nod her head against his neck.

* * *

><p>"I do appreciate the time you're taking with her."<p>

"Of course. There is no other way to go about it and now that I'm with her I find that the luxury of time has never been more enjoyable."

"You had to tell her?"

"Yes," he said simply of the information he had imparted to Sookie about the death of her parents.

"I hated for her to know."

"Of course; it's always disappointing when you find out that your own kind are so capable and guilty of such crimes against you. But then, isn't that usually the case?"

"Unfortunately. So, the situation continues to escalate."

"Yes."

"Chancellor Manners has good intentions, but it doesn't look good, Warlow."

"It never looks good, Queen Mab, but there is always hope."

"Hope is over-rated."

"Do not be so bitter, Mab..."

"I'm not bitter, Warlow, I'm realistic."

"Then realistically suggest your proxy to me, for I have the hope that his plan is not only a good one but that it will work."

"Well, I think Hadley is a good choice; she's descended from the Royal bloodline; she is more than familiar with the situation at hand...more importantly, she's human and has none of the Fae blood that would cause the vampires to so spectacularly lose their complete shit."

"There is also the extra incentive to be an active part of the endeavor to not only represent for all Fae but for her son, as well, and his safety," Claudette spoke up then.

"Yes, there is that. For your sakes—and Hunter's—I _hope_ that she says yes," Queen Mab said as she looked pointedly at Warlow.

* * *

><p>Later that morning Sookie woke up and found Jason in the nursery playing with the babies on the bed that had been pushed into a corner of the wall to make space for the cribs.<p>

"Jason? How in the world are you up at this hour, honey?" she went to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I told you last night I just needed to lay my head down for a while—I got in about three this mornin', hit the couch and slept like these two munchkins right here. Three hours is about all I needed—I feel good. And I haven't had any time with these two in a minute—they look bigger to me—do they look bigger to you?"

"No...not particularly..."

"I guess it's just me, you know, I mean, I wonder if they grow faster than human babies, is all," he said before he tickled Corbett under the chin again.

"We'll have to ask Timbo or Becky, I guess. They do seem like they're finally gaining a healthier baby weight since we first saw them, but they don't look like they're gonna be three years old or anything tomorrow," she smiled at him.

"Yeah, I know you're right, I'm just trippin', I'm sure. Hey—where's Warlow?"

"He went to Faery to talk to Queen Mab..."

"Oh yeah, to get her to recommend a liaison...how long's he been gone?"

"I don't know, I went to bed maybe an hour or two before you got here, but he slipped a note under my door. I only woke up because I heard the babies and thought they needed feeding or something," she smiled at her brother.

"Nope, got that all handled..." he tickled Michelle next. "So...how's it going with you two, anyway?"

Sookie took a seat in the rocking chair at the foot of the bed. "Okay, I guess. He's definitely not pushing me to...get anything started," she said awkwardly.

"Yeah, he better not..."

"No, Jason, he doesn't seem to be like that at all."

"Good. I love this..." he chuckled as he kissed Michelle's belly and then got out of the way to watch her little feet kick excitedly, looking as if she was trying to ride a bicycle as she giggled happily. "Look at her little feet go..."

Sookie smiled at the three of them. "So, when are you going to talk to Holly?"

"Tonight, when Ginger and Pam rise for the evening..."

Just then Sookie heard her cell phone ringing in her bedroom and rushed out to get it. She came back talking to Hadley.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry...okay—see you then." Sookie shut off her phone.

"What's up?" Jason asked, noting the sad little frown on her face.

"Remy's mother died suddenly; they've been in Rayne seeing to Remy's father and making the funeral preparations..."

"Oh wow, that's messed-up."

"Yeah. She said she'll be by here today for a little while, just her and Hunter."

"Yeah, I'm sure she needs to take a little breather. The kids will be happy to see them both."

"Yep. So look, can I fix you some breakfast? I'm starving..."

"Sure, little sister, I would sure appreciate it...as a matter of fact, the kids should be up soon—I'll put these two in the playpen downstairs and come help you—Kenya gave me the day off today, but I'm gonna hang out a while with everybody and go in later, anyway—it's still a mad house over there..."

"I bet. But you enjoy the babies, hon, I've got breakfast." Sookie gave him another kiss to the cheek and was serenaded by the sounds of happy squeals of laughter from the babies.

Hadley had been on her way out of the door when she called and was at Sookie's house four hours later and still in time to enjoy some breakfast with her family. After everyone was done and the kitchen was all cleaned up Jason had taken the kids out to the front yard for a lively game of flag football while Sookie and Hadley settled themselves in the living room as the babies slept in their playpen; they caught each other up on the news.

"So how've you been otherwise, Hadley? You had me worried the other day, hon."

"Oh, I've been alright; Remy was fine before he got the news about his mother, of course; Hunter is doing real well."

"So, what was wrong? You sounded jittery—kinda at loose ends."

"It's Claudette..."

"What about her? Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's okay, but she worries me sometimes, Sookie."

"Well, in what way? Where does she go, anyway, when she's not with you?"

"I don't know—maybe to Faery? It doesn't matter, it feels like she's always around, anyway..."

"And that bothers you? She's around to keep Hunter protected, hon," Sookie reminded her gently.

"I know that and I appreciate it, but it just makes me nervous I guess, like something is going to happen any minute. I love her and everything—I mean she's great—she saved my baby's life; I think I'm just overwrought, Sookie, with everything that's been going on—I just can't believe it about Bud Dearborne; and Jason is a were-panther? Good Lord! How is he?"

"Fine; still the same old Jason, just turns into a beautiful black panther when he wants to."

Hadley had to laugh at Sookie's deadpan delivery; Sookie joined in her laughter.

"That's my girl. We're gonna be alright, Hadley."

"You amaze me, cousin, you really do and I say that in great awe. Warlow? Really? I never had any idea that those bible stories were really true, and pardon me if that makes me sound like a total heathen, but damn!"

"He's really nice, Hadley, and that's like the lamest, weakest description in the world; he's so full of love...it just pours out of him. And to say that he's been a gentleman is not saying enough. Everything I was angry about and afraid of—hasn't been an issue at all. I trust him with my life and I'd give mine for his if it ever came down to it. I don't know how millennia of humans on earth continue to get it all so horribly wrong, I really don't, but I have hope that one day, one of these generations will get it right. I probably shouldn't tell you this, Hadley, but..." suddenly both women saw a flash of light come from the kitchen.

"You're right, Sookie—let us," said Warlow with a smile, standing next to Claudette in the entryway to the living room.

* * *

><p>"Well Bill, this is it for Belarus, huh?" Tara was dressing for the evening as Bill sat at his desk reading documents on the laptop.<p>

The sun had set over Minsk and they would be meeting with Andrej and the rest at Tabah Tosti for a last get-together before they left for America. They had received their itinerary in an e-mailed message from Vitaly that was waiting for them when they had risen and checked the agenda for the day, as they had done every morning since they had been there.

"Yes, this is it. I had a text from Jessica..."

"Me, too!" Tara said excitedly, "about everyone being at the house when we get back?"

"Yes..."

"Even Blackburn will be there..."

Bill turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, they ended amicably enough— do you think she'll dare to have Julian there, as well?"

"I hope not—at least not until Blackburn leaves..."

"Jessica, Jessica, Jessica..." Tara sighed through impish smile.

"Stop that..." Bill warned her, "she is young; there will be many before she finds her true love, you know this."

"Hey, I'm happy for her—I like Julian. I liked Blackburn, too. And he really has shown her the ropes in Dallas and in his area—that girl is destined to be a Sheriff herself one day, so I'll always be grateful to him for that."

"As will I..." Bill said as he shut down the laptop and then went to her.

"I just love how you look all wild and sexy when you first wake up, with your hair all in your eyes..." Tara growled at him as he took her into his embrace.

"Do you?"

"Oh yes...I do..." she readied herself for his impending kiss.

"And you are getting dressed—why?" he asked as he slipped the strap of her dress off of her shoulder and kissed her neck.

"Because, uh, we're supposed to meet everybody in, like, an hour?"

"A whole hour..." he murmured at her before his lips descended upon hers.

An hour later they were at their reserved booth still awaiting Andrej and Vitaly.

"Well, you two, you know that I'm going to miss you, but I'm so happy that Trey and Sarah are staying," Shashen'Ka smiled at her friends.

"Yo...I talked to Sabeen this evening—she sends her best regards to everyone and told me to tell you that she's waiting for your return," Trey turned to Tara and Bill, "then she and Antanas are coming here to join us."

"How is it going now that the vigilantes have been caught?" Victor asked him.

"Well, Jason Stackhouse is afraid that sympathetic humans will acquit them at trial; we all know the news is going crazy; they're working with Eric Northman, his consort, a couple of Delegates and others as we speak trying to get intel on the Florida Rooms—she called me from Montana; she and Antanas are hitting the Dakota's tomorrow night; Eric and Chow are in Texas now; Delegates Daar and Hutchence are taking the deep Southern States—hopefully we'll hear something soon."

"I can't wait to get there—let me find one lasertorium—just one..." Tara fumed.

"Just be careful, comrades," Victor told them both.

At that moment Andrej and Vitaly came to the table and they all had a pleasant shock.

"Vitaly!" Sarah found it impossible to repress her surprise. "You're one of us!"

Beside him Andrej was beaming. "My friends—an opportunity presented itself for the Dark Gift to offered to my very good friend; as you can see, and I'm happy to report—he accepted. Please join me in welcoming him to the fold."

Waiters came then with carts of fresh blood sorbets and other delectable treats; they all stood and raised shot glasses of warm fresh blood and toasted the new addition to the family and Vitaly, humble as ever, bowed his silent thanks at them all.


	125. A Thousand Times, Yes

I own nothing.

True Blood S4/S5

Chapter 125 A Thousand Times, Yes

* * *

><p>On that calm, quiet morning, Warlow and Claudette explained all of the detailed circumstances to Hadley regarding the state of current affairs between all supernaturals and the ensuing conflicts between supernaturals and humans; they told her of the progress her cousin Jason and his friends had made the day before and of what the meeting that same night had yielded at Authority headquarters; after they had given her a full accounting of what she needed to know they both, along with Sookie, waited with bated breath for her questions and an answer to their request, which had come through them directly from Queen Mab.<p>

Hadley sat in stunned silence for a long moment, casting her alternating gaze between the three of them: Claudette, whose face registered her quiet stoicism and even quieter hope that Hadley would agree, stood beside Warlow, who was staring at the floor. Sookie, who unabashedly smiled at her cousin when Hadley turned toward her, begged her silently to say yes with wide eyes; and Warlow, who was the human embodiment of the word 'patience', looked up at her with eyes full of acceptance that she knew, somehow, would not change no matter what her answer was. She looked out of the window then, in the direction of the happy shriek of her child, that greeted her ears on the cool little breeze coming through it, as he played with his uncle and his cousins. A tear came to her eye as she looked back at the three in the room with her and uttered one quiet word.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>It was a quiet night at Sookie's house; the babies were asleep but would probably wake up a few hours later for a night feeding; Timbo had been given permission by Jason to let Donnie come over to Jason's house for pizza, gaming and to watch a fight on the pay-per-view station; Jason had gone in to work to help Kenya in any way that he could before his meeting with Holly; Hadley had long been gone back to Rayne with Hunter and Claudette to see to Remy and help him continue with the preparations for his mother's funeral; Becky was in her room having a happy phone conversation with her best friend, Hannah; and Sookie was in the living room sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Warlow, totally not watching the news she was staring at on the television.<p>

* * *

><p>"Well, okay...here I am—what in the world is going on?" Holly asked the group that was waiting for her in Sam's office at the end of her shift.<p>

* * *

><p>In Minsk Bill and Tara had said their final goodbyes to their comrades. As dawn approached Andrej oversaw the loading of their Titanium coffins onto a waiting Anubis jet; he watched it take off and then looked at his driver and waved his dismissal at him. He had recently mastered the art of flying and before the jet had disappeared from sight he took off like a shot in the opposite direction and headed back to Kalvaryja.<p>

* * *

><p>"Girlfriend, I said I would help you with this little shindig—I didn't say I would help you clean up shit—where Miss Gustav at, anyway?" Lafayette complained at Jessica when she handed him the vacuum cleaner.<p>

"I cut her down to three days a week since I've been away," she answered him apologetically.

"Why you do that shit? You needs to get her back on the job, hookah, with a quickness..." he rolled his eyes at the vacuum cleaner and pushed it away from him with his foot then prodded it suspiciously, as if was a dead animal that might still be alive and try to bite him. Jessica was unable to contain a chuckle.

"Oh, Lafayette—stop it...I've got the rest, just hit the first floor for me? Please? Please?" she clasped her hands together and shot her most angelic begging face at him.

"Aw shit, not that face," he grumbled at her. "Go on away from me, girl—go on..." he shooed her away; he turned on his phone, selected a play list and plugged in his ear buds. "Hell yeah..." As Lafayette did a spirited dance to the music he handled the vacuum cleaner like a hot dance partner. "That's right, baby, '_Dancin' With The Stars_' ain't got _shit_ on you an' me..."

Julian Cromwell came into the room then.

"No!" He went to Lafayette and tapped him on his shoulder. "Tell me it is not so! Shame on Jessica..." he smiled when Lafayette turned around and took his ear buds out.

"Julian! Hey, man, good to see you again," he returned the vampire's warm smile.

"So, Tara and Bill get back when?"

"They should be on the plane right about now—fourteen or fifteen hours to go..."

Blackburn came into the room next, with a huge smile on his face that unnerved Lafayette just a little bit. He and Jessica had kept their break-up amicable; and to the casual observer, he and Julian seemed more than cool with each other, especially when Jessica was near; but when Jessica wasn't around, the two vampires, who had both bonded over the whole Isabel/Russell Edgington debacle and all of the fantastic events thereafter—shared a vibe that was professional, but clearly very tense. Lafayette genuinely liked them both but felt more than uneasy when the two of them occupied the same air space.

"Lafayette! I must agree with Julian—shame on Jessica..." Blackburn gave him a pat upon the back.

"What is this? Talking about me behind my back, huh?" Jessica complained as she came down the stairs fresh from her speed clean of the second floor.

"You two finish up down here, Jessica—I need Lafayette's help..." Blackburn took the handle of the vacuum away and unceremoniously handed it to Julian; they all looked their surprise at him as he led Lafayette away.

"What up, sweetness?" Lafayette asked him suspiciously.

"Nothing, man—I just like to fuck with Julian," Blackburn smirked at him as he led his friend out of the house and out to the front porch; they sat on the steps and took in the mild, beautiful night.

"You ain't _'bout _over that little girl, is you, Blackburn?" Lafayette pronounced as he lit up a regular cigarette.

"You would be correct, sir."

"Well, I gotta give it to you—you been way cool about it."

"It's just a matter of time, Lafayette; look, I like Julian—I'll like him a lot better when he's done with Jessica."

"What you mean, lover?"

"I mean, Julian loves redheads—Jessica reminds him of Lucas—did you ever see a picture of him?"

"No, can't say that I did."

"Well, if you had, you would understand perfectly. Dude has a type, that's all; he's dabbling right now, being 'equal opportunity', shall we say? He'll soon seek another with red hair, and it will be on the head of a man—there's one that he's been toying with already. I don't doubt that he's fond of Jessica, but I'm afraid that's all it will ever truly be."

"Yeah, uh-huh—you sound awful happy 'bout that—planning to be there to catch her fall, are you?" Lafayette leaned away from him and shot him an accusing look.

"Damn right," Blackburn scowled back at him.

"Gimme some, baby..." Lafayette said as a smile broke across his face and held his hand up for a high five,which Blackburn met heartily.

* * *

><p>"Well, we ain't never had anything like a proper society here, or anything; most American Wiccans are eclectic," Holly explained to them all.<p>

"Huh?" Jason's face was a mask of confusion; Holly smiled at them all.

"They don't follow any one particular or organized belief, you know, they use various schools of thought; covens are typically very small, but now—thanks to the internet—it's easier to connect with one another, as you can imagine. When I joined Marnie's group I didn't know any of them, except Jesus and Tara. I'm a fairly new resident here, but even where I came from there were only three of us that knew about each other."

"Well, Holly, aligning with the AVL will certainly change that. Do you agree that we need to band together for a common good?" Pam asked her.

"Of course I do."

"So—you're in?"

"I'm in."

Ginger got a call on her cell phone then. "I'm sorry, guys, excuse me..." Ginger stepped out the office to talk to Chow.

"Alright then...I think I'm gonna close up early tonight—even the pool hall is empty and quite frankly I'm damn bushed," Sam said then to his friends.

"Yeah, and I need to get back home myself...help my sister with my dad; tell the pack what all is going on now..." said Alcide.

Jason pulled Holly to the side as everyone else prepared to leave. "So, how've you and Andy been gettin' along, sweetheart?"

"We ain't, Jason—Nicholas is still here," she said uneasily.

"What? Don't that man got a job or something he needs to go home to?"

"The man is independently wealthy—he can do what he wants, apparently."

"Well, ain't that nice," Jason replied a little jealously. "What's goin' on really, Holly, with the two of you—you and Andy, I mean—y'all busted up officially, or what?"

"As officially as it gets, Jason," she told him apologetically.

"Well, damn, Holly..."

"Don't you dare, Jason Stackhouse—Andy took up with a Fairy and had himself a right dandy time and didn't tell me about it; I didn't sneak behind his back and—"

Holly's little diatribe was interrupted by Ginger as she burst back into the room; everyone looked away from their separate conversations in alarm.

"What? What the fuck is it?" Pam asked her then.

"Delegate Olesky was called away to Washington—Secretary Dowling has been found—dead—his body badly decomposed in the trunk of his car in a wrecking yard—autopsy concluded that the man has been dead for months—three to be exact," Ginger reported excitedly to them.

"Fuck!" said Jason.

"Then who the fuck was it that Olesky met with last week?" Pam asked her.

"That's what the AVL and the White House want to know," Ginger told the startled group.

* * *

><p>"Damn...what a night..." Sam said tiredly to Zola when he got home.<p>

"Hey, baby..." she gave him a welcoming kiss. "What now?"

"I don't even have the energy to go into it right now..." he smiled at her through a little shake of his head. "Besides, there are other things I want to talk about, darlin', cuz we need to clear the air, right now."

Zola did not like the sound of his words at all. "And just what exactly do you mean, Sam Merlotte?" she asked him defensively.

"Well, you know that words can't express how happy I am that you're here right now, you know that don't you?"

"Yeah..." she replied suspiciously.

"Look—I told you how I felt about you the first night I met you; I know we haven't known each other long; I know you have a job and a life in Baton Rouge, but—"

Zola's suspicious look turned to one of immediate anger.

"But nothing, Sam—I'm in love with you; when we're apart—all I want is to be with you," she said as she tried to get control of herself. "I can do Bon Temps, honey, easy—my aunt Evelyn is here—I feel like I'm home when I'm here, I always have, and now? Now there's you, Sam, and Bon Temps feels like home more than it ever did before and that's just all there is to that" she declared in a huff. "I can move in with my aunt; if I don't find a job here then I'll commute to Shreveport, if I have to, I don't care. I can't stand being away from you, but if you're trying to blow me off now—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there, darlin'...I can't stand being away from you, either, but moving here and living with your aunt...I don't know about that..." he said in great disapproval as he approached her and took her into his embrace.

"What the hell do you mean, you don't know about that?" She looked hurt by his words. "And let me go..."

"Now, hold up..." Sam took firmer hold of her to make her stop squirming to get away. "I mean, Zola Camp, that I want you with me—living with me. Now, I'm ready to buy a house—for the two of us—and whoever else God blesses us with—so that we can start our life together—as husband and wife.

"Zola, you just don't know, woman, what it did for my heart when I saw you coming my way at the station yesterday; I can't be without you anymore, baby, I just can't. Now, I've had this for a little while ..." he said as he gingerly disengaged himself from her and disappeared into his bedroom, where she could hear him opening and closing a drawer. "I would be so honored..." he said as he came back to the room where she stood looking her confusion and disbelief at him, "and I'm asking you right now—Zola Camp," he got down on one knee before her, "will you be my wife?" He opened the box to reveal an exquisite 9.5 millimeter Tahitian pearl ring, nestled in a little eighty-carat, delicately up-turned, square bed of diamonds set in eighteen karat white gold.

Zola backed away from him in total disbelief.

"Zola? Sweetheart?" Sam's smile faded immediately as he feared that he was about to hear the worst answer that he could get from her. "Zola?" He stood up and before he could go to her she came at him wordlessly with a hungry kiss. "Yes! Yes, Sam Merlotte—a thousand times, yes!" she beamed at him when her lips released his.


	126. Fusion

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 126 Fusion

* * *

><p>By late Sunday afternoon Sheriff Kenya Jones had been delivered, temporarily, from the thorn in her side that had otherwise been known as the FBI. Most of her deputies had been pulling double shifts and others, like Jason, had been putting in their own personal time to help out. At four o'clock she locked the front door of the stationhouse and held a roll call that also included Rosie on the intercom and the station janitors, Toby True and Tim Garner.<p>

"Alright, everybody, settle down..." she said from her podium to the room full of dedicated, but tired deputies.

A hush fell over the room.

"Okay, thank you. First off—I have to take my hat off to you all and extend my deepest, heartfelt appreciation at your dedicated service at this difficult time. We're a family, here..." her voice broke as a single tear rolled down her cheek; she composed herself and went on. "We haven't even set up a trust fund yet and you fine people have already turned in over seven thousand dollars, with all this turmoil we've been going through in the last two days, for Roger's family—and I'm talkin' to you, Rosie..." she directed at the intercom then. "Everybody, it was Rosie's father that kicked off the first donation of five thousand dollars..." she beamed at them proudly through her silent tears. All of the deputies let out cat calls, whistles and other vocal displays of appreciation along with their applause as Kenya applauded them.

"You've all gone above and beyond the call of duty and I applaud you all: deputies; Rosie; Tim and Toby—you've all been goodwill ambassadors, fine deputies and the best example of what it means to be a citizen—a caring fellow citizen—of Bon Temps, to the many concerned family members and other citizens that have streamed through our front door in the last two days; that dedication, your utmost professionalism, your caring—those qualities in you all have always, and continue, to make working alongside you an honor and a blessing for me and I simply can't express or thank you enough for it."

The room broke out again in appreciative applause at her.

"Back at you, Boss!" someone raucously called out.

Kenya smiled her thanks and went on. "Now, I'm gonna need volunteers: for a Funeral Coordinator and a Family Liaison Officer—I'd like those volunteers by this evening so that we can get some particulars together and then pay a visit to Roger's wife Rita, and Joe Hunt. Also, we all know that Deputy Victor Sanchez was very badly shaken up by the events at the farm; I've been in constant touch with the doctors at the hospital and I went to see Victor last night; I regret to inform you that Deputy Sanchez has spiraled into a very definite bout of depression—he let me know that he's retiring, effective immediately; he's going to be released tomorrow to the care of a mental health specialist. I want you all to send him and keep him and his family in your prayers. I'll be paying his wife a visit tonight, as well. If anyone would like to come with me I'd be honored to be joined by two deputies.

"Now, I know we're all still in shock; and I can tell honestly you that the other thing that's breaking my heart right now is the fact that one of the men locked up downstairs in behind this whole nightmare is a man that I used to respect and call my own fearless leader once: Bud Dearborne. There aren't enough words for what I'm feeling personally because I still don't believe..." Kenya cut herself short. "As the Sheriff of Bon Temps my promise to you all is that as we continue to investigate this case I will also continue to honor the oath I took to support, protect and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States, and of the State of Louisiana and faithfully perform the duties I was sworn to uphold as a Sheriff of Renard Parish, as will we all," she finished sternly.

Amidst a sea of somber faces Kenya watched as all of her deputies nodded their silent assent at her and their promise to do the same.

"Alright. When you leave go out and check the new duty roster—if you see that you have time off you'd better adhere to it—no exceptions, no complaints. Dismissed."

As his fellow officers began to file out of the room Jason approached Kenya.

"Boss, I gotta talk to you."

"I mean it, Jason—check the roster and go home," she smiled tiredly at him.

"It's not about that—I gotta tell you something real important—can we go to your office?"

"Sure...c'mon," she said with a worried look as she led him away.

On the way to her office Jason saw Hoyt, who gave him a furtive little wave from where he stood at the front double doors of the station; Jason waved back at him and then saw him take a seat on the bench outside of the restrooms; he gave a nod in Kenya's direction to let him know that he had to go and Hoyt gave a nod of understanding as Jason rushed away.

* * *

><p>At Merlotte's the dinner rush was just beginning and Holly, an hour away from the end of her shift, was looking forward to a date with a hot foot soak before her date with Nicholas; as she came out of the kitchen with a fresh order for a family of three and headed for their table she saw Andy making a beeline for his favorite seat at one of her tables, much to the chagrin of the hostess; when she got to him the hostess nervously began to apologize.<p>

"I'm sorry, Holly, I tried to tell him this table isn't ready yet..." the girl said of the dishes there that had not yet been cleared away.

"I don't care about that and she knows it, young lady," Andy said gruffly from his seat, never taking his eyes off of Holly.

"It's okay, Amanda—go on, there's more customers at the door, honey..."

The girl hurried away.

"Andy..."

"I know you're busy; I know you don't want to see me; a man's gotta eat," he said simply through a crooked little smile.

Holly couldn't help the smile she gave back to him. "I'll get someone to get this table cleared right away then...and come back for your order," she said before she left him to get a busboy; before she could get away caught her wrist and stopped her; Holly stopped but didn't face him, only looked back and down over her shoulder at him; Andy didn't look up to face her.

"You already know what I want, Holly," he said and then released her. Holly let out an audible gasp as her heart did a little flip-flop in her chest.

"Chop-chop, Holly! Cheeseburger—no mayo, double onions, sweet potato fries—pick it up!" Lafayette called out from the kitchen as he placed the order on the window counter and raced away to get another; Holly was jarred out of her reverie and got back on task, not surprised at all that Andy still had an effect on her, but surprised that he still wanted her after all that had happened. She delivered her next order and when his table was cleared she took a deep breath and went back to take his.

"What can I get you?" she asked him, concentrating on her order pad, pen poised and ready.

Andy looked up at her, daring her silently to look back at him. "I'd love a bowl of gumbo; garden salad and french bread."

"And to drink?" Holly still didn't look at him.

"Lemonade."

"Great. Coming right up." She rushed away.

* * *

><p>"What is it, Jason?" Kenya asked him when he shut her office door behind them and had taken a seat at her desk.<p>

"I understand, Boss, completely how you feel about Bud and I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say that your desire to remain impartial in this investigation is admired and appreciated."

"Yeah, well, off the record, Jason, don't appreciate it too much. That's not the Bud Dearborne I've ever known; I know it all looks really bad; I know it looks like he and Sweetie murdered his wife and tortured those poor Shape-shifters; I know that someone found guilty of those crimes should be punished. I just don't believe there's not some explanation for the strange and sudden shift in his behavior. There's just got to be, Jason, because if there's not and Bud really is _that_ man? The one locked up downstairs right now? Then he's a bigger monster than all of the supernaturals we know about put together, Russell Edgington, included," she said sadly. "I've just been having the hardest time wrapping my head around all of this."

"I understand Kenya, and I hate to give you more troubling news, but I gotta come clean to you about myself—I owe it to you."

"What in the world is it, Jason?"

"I've been through some things, Kenya, these past few months, things other than those related to my sister's trials and tribulations. I'm a supernatural myself, now; I was bitten by a were-panther..in Hotshot...you can be bitten and turned by were-panthers, but not werewolves—werewolves gotta be born; anyway, the last full moon, this past Friday night, I made my first transformation, Boss. My kids? My two babies, Michelle and Corbett? I just found out that they are, as well—were-panthers, I mean—that's a long-ass story—and so are Becky and Timbo—it's a long-ass story."

Kenya let out a heavy sigh and hung her head heavily as her fingers went immediately to her temples. "I don't know how much more I can take, Jason; I'd ask if you were pulling my leg, but you're obviously as serious as a heart attack right now..."

"I am, and I just want you to know the truth and that my being a were-panther...well, I'm just like you—no matter what I may feel personally about all of this I intend to uphold the oath I was sworn to, as well. I just want you to know that. Not just in this case, but now and always."

"Sit down, Jason, and tell me how this all happened." She looked up at him in genuine bewilderment.

"Oh man, gladly..." he said as he took the seat across from her desk.

* * *

><p>"Holly?"<p>

Holly had served her last customer and as she had passed Andy's table headed for the kitchen he dared to reach out and take hold of her wrist again. "I know your shift is over—would you please sit down and talk to me? For just a minute? Please?"

Holly took a seat across from him and put her empty tray in the seat next to her. "Sure, Andy. How are you?" she asked him with genuine concern and a little smile.

"I'm okay, I guess. You?"

"I could say the same."

"How are the boys?"

"Honestly?"

Andy nodded his head.

"I have to say they're—maturing; been makin' their old momma proud, these days."

"Well, I'm real happy to hear that...and there ain't nothing about you even remotely old." He dared to smile broadly at her.

She gave him an appreciative smile. "Look, this is awkward, no two ways about that..."

"Yeah," he agreed.

"But thank you, Andy, for not going whole hog on you know, Mr. Mott, the other day," she looked sheepishly down at the table.

"Hey..." Andy said softly as he reached his hand across the table and tilted her chin up so that their eyes could meet. "You're not welcomed." They both chuckled lightly.

"You both took some pretty good lumps, huh?"

"Yeah."

They shared another awkward silence.

"He still around?"

"As a matter of fact, yes he is."

"Well, when the hell is he leaving and when are you gonna come back to your senses—and to me, Holly Cleary?" Andy's smile had faded and his voice was serious and gruff again.

"Andy..."

"Look, I know you're a beautiful woman; I know you can do a damn sight better than me, Holly, and clearly, you have. But I love you. I don't know how you can feel about a man you only just met a week ago, but I get it; after what happened between me and Maurella, I get it. But we got past that. I'd like to think that we can get past this Mott fella. I just want you to know that I'm still here and I'm not giving up on you—not until I know that's my only alternative, Holly. Is it? Is it my only alternative?"

"I...I..." she stuttered at him, trying to find the right words.

"That's good enough for me."

"Andy—"

"Until you tell me, to my face, without hesitation, that you love this guy—I'm still here, Holly. I just want you to know that. I won't be trouble; I don't want you to avoid me when you see me. I've been a fool in the past and I'm sure I deserve this. But I'm still here. For you. Until I know for sure otherwise that I should go on my way. That's all I really wanted to say. It was great to see you. Goodnight." Andy rose from the table and left her. When he got to the door Nicholas had just walked in; he shot Andy a nasty look and braced himself for a confrontation.

Andy gave him a reprimanding look as he came to a stop before him; he reached out his hand to push the man gently out of his way. "Don't be such an ass..." And with that he walked on out of the door and was gone.

Nicholas went to Holly where she sat and gave a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Hello, love—you ready to go?" he asked her cheerfully; he noticed the strange look on her face then. "Holly? What's wrong? He been giving you trouble?"

Suddenly Holly came back to herself, unappreciative of his negative intimation about Andy. "No. I'm really beat, Nicholas; I thought I would feel like going out tonight, but I...I just want to go home."

"Well, that's okay—you could come back with me and—"

"No, I really won't be good company tonight—I need to do some serious pillow time, huh?"

"I'd love to be your pillow..."

"Another night, okay?" she begged off.

"Holly?"

"Goodnight, Nicholas..." she got up from the table and rushed away from him.

"Holly? Holly!" he called after her, aware suddenly that he was making a spectacle of himself; he scratched his head in confusion as he looked back at the door where Andy had been and then back in the direction of the kitchen where Holly had disappeared; he came to the the obvious conclusion that the big jerk had said something to her effective enough to ruin their date that night; he gave a disgusted sigh and headed out of the restaurant.

* * *

><p>At Sookie's house dinner was done, the dishes were washed and everyone was settled down for the night: the babies were asleep; Timbo was out again with Donnie, and Becky was up in her room being a happy teenager, joined at the ear with her friend on the phone. Sookie and Warlow were having another quiet night on the couch in front of the television.<p>

"This is so weird..." Sookie blurted out suddenly.

Warlow chuckled at her. "What is it, Sookie? Am I boring you already?"

"No, come on—you know what I mean..."

"No, I don't—explain it to me," he humored her.

At her end of the couch Sookie turned to face him as she tucked one leg underneath herself. "I mean, you're only a God—"

"I'm not a God..." he sighed at her.

"You're pretty damn close, Warlow; and here you are, with me, watching stupid television, and—"

"Being normal?"

"Well, yes and no. I don't know...I don't even know what normal is, anymore," she said disgustedly.

"Wouldn't you like to? Is this really so bad?" he asked her softly.

"No, it's not bad, at all, but it damn sure isn't going to last, this 'normal' stuff..."

"You might be surprised, Sookie, at just how long it might last. Would you be disappointed, then? If life gradually got back to normal again and this was all that there was to it?"

"Well, first of all, I know that's not going to happen...not in my lifetime, anyway. And if it ever did, would I be disappointed? Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Yes, I guess. I've never known a completely normal life, only this one. I would had to have never known any of this life to truly appreciate a normal one, I think. But then, people who live normal lives don't appreciate it...they always yearn for something more because they've never experienced the other side of normal, which can often times, turn out to be something really horrible. Does that make any sense?"

"The grass is always greener, yes?" he smiled at her.

"If we're going to speak in cliches, then yes; and knowledge is worse than power, it's downright deadly."

"So, this is what I bring out in you? Fear?" he asked her then through his faded smile.

"What?" Sookie's confusion was complete and all over her face.

"You know about me now—I frighten you, don't I?"

"I didn't mean you..." she began uncomfortably.

"Didn't you?" he challenged her gently.

"Okay, I can admit it—everything frightens me, now; this world we live in; everything I've seen in my short life; your desire for me..."

"And what else?"

"My...desire for you..." Sookie turned away from him then and stood up to leave but remained rooted to the floor.

"Sookie?" he rose up from the couch, as well, but kept his distance.

"Yes, I'm frightened, Warlow."

"What do you want to do about that? Your fear..."

"I don't want to feel it anymore." She took a tentative step closer to him.

Warlow said nothing and did not make a move.

Sookie continued to slowly advance upon him. "I...don't want to feel it, anymore..." she murmured at him; she was inches away from him then and reached out to touch him and stopped short of actually doing so. "Are you real? Really real?" she looked up at him in wonderment.

Still Warlow did not make a move toward her or say a word; he only smiled down at her...and waited.

Finally, she put her hand upon him and rested it upon his chest, almost surprised at the feel of his shirt at her fingertips; she unbuttoned it then to reveal his soft, perfect skin—it was skin—and it was warm and pulsing with life.

"Please put your hands on me, Warlow?" she whispered up at him; she heard a soft moan escape him then and he obliged her, as they slid up the sides of her torso slowly and ended with her soft locks spilling through his fingers as he cradled her head within his hands; he put his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes, still silent, his surprise as evident as her own. "Really? You're surprised?" she moaned her question at him.

He answered her with his first tender kiss that quickly turned as hungry as her own; caught up in his embrace and his desire, Sookie felt with him something she had never felt with any man before him, human or supernatural: for once in her life it simply felt right and there was no ambivalence in her feelings about him; no question of him; no feelings of taboo; no guilt; no pervasive feelings of imminent danger or other catastrophic consequence—there was only an all-encompassing love that was washing over her, through her, even more intense than the first night that she had met him and he had given her that first exquisite hug. It was not overwhelming; it was full of love—love that didn't have to be spoken to because a million words could never describe it; a love that she found herself more than capable of receiving and easily returning; it was joyous; it was her light and his; it was real. In that moment, lost in his kiss, nothing else existed...until she heard a faint cry coming from upstairs.

They broke away from each other then, both of them laughing lightly.

"That sounds like Michelle..." Sookie said as she collected herself.

"I'll get the bottle and meet you upstairs, yes?" His smile was a promise, further cemented by the challenge of his desire that smoldered in his piercing gray eyes, and came at her like the blast of heat from a furnace.

"Yes..." Her eyes were locked onto his.

"Go on..." he said as he backed away from her, "I'll be right up..."

"Oh...uh-huh..."

When Warlow rejoined her in the nursery Sookie had just finished changing Michelle's diaper; he handed her the warm bottle after she sat down in the rocking chair and then went to the opposite wall and leaned against it, patiently watching them. After her usual voracious assault of the bottle and a burp Michelle drifted back to sleep.

"Shh...come on..." she whispered at Warlow as she took his hand and led him quietly out; in the hallway he took the lead and headed for her bedroom.

"Corbett always sleeps through his diaper change, but he'll probably wake up in a couple of hours..."

"You forget—I know their schedule as well as you do," he whispered back at her; he held her bedroom door open for her and, this time, followed her in and locked the door behind them; he walked her backwards toward her bed and then took her into his embrace again. "You're in big trouble when the children all go home with Jason—I hope you know that..." Warlow warned her as he came in for a kiss.

"Ditto, mister."


	127. Twisted Up

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 127 Twisted Up

* * *

><p>"Hey, man, thanks for hanging around, I'm sorry about—"<p>

"Hey, don't, man...I know you had your hands full around here...I gotta talk to you, Jason..."

Jason was alarmed by the pained look on his friend's face and the urgent tone in his voice; he looked around the station and was happy to note that the place was quiet and back to normal, devoid of any tight-ass FBI suits that had almost over-run the place and given Kenya a harder way to go than was necessary. They would be back again, bright and early in the morning but the respite was more than welcomed.

Kenya had taken Jason's news way better than he had hoped for, yet still he hated having to burden her with it; he was thankful and blessed to know that he still had a great boss, and more than that, a great friend in her. He'd made her take her own advice when they were done talking by ordering her to go home and get some rest; just as he was was about to take Hoyt back to his office she finally came out of her own.

"Hi Hoyt—everything okay?" Kenya asked him as soon as she saw his worried face.

"Oh, no...hi Sheriff Jones...I'm just here to...to...uh...I'm fine, ma'am," he offered his nervous reply.

Kenya looked askance at him and then shot a questioning look at Jason.

"Hey, Boss, it's all good—you get on home now, I got this," Jason smiled at her. "Really...just catching up with my buddy, here, and then I got some paperwork I want to knock out 'fore I leave. And I'm gonna check on Bud, too."

"You be careful with Bud, Jason...he's—"

"I'll be careful, Boss," he told her firmly, still smiling at her.

"Alright..." The look on her face was weary and wary, but she gave him a pat on his shoulder and a nod of her head. "Alright...goodnight Jason...Hoyt."

"'Night Sheriff Jones."

"Just a second, there buddy, huh?"

"Sure, Jason."

Jason followed Kenya to the door to open it for her. "I'll be happy to walk you to your car, Boss," he said as he scanned the grounds outside for any sign of wayward reporters then settled his suspicious eyes on a vehicle parked curbside.

"It's okay, Jason—that's Robert waiting for me, see?" she nodded at her boyfriend, who got out of the car and then waved at them both.

Jason's face softened from a scowl into a smile as he waved back. "Oh, cool...I didn't recognize his car...in the morning then, huh?"

"Yes, indeed."

Jason watched her boyfriend assist his tired boss into the car and remained at the door until they drove off, then headed back for Hoyt.

"C'mon, man—let's talk..." he said as he ushered his friend back to his office; he closed his door gently behind him and then the two men settled themselves in their seats across from each other at Jason's desk. "What's up, man?"

"Jason, I'm leaving," Hoyt said simply then.

"But—you just got here...what—"

"No..." Hoyt hung his head slightly and chuckled at his confused friend. "No...Jason—I'm leaving Bon Temps, man. Tonight. After I tell you what I gotta tell you." He looked back up at his friend with dead seriousness in his eyes.

"Well...what? Why? What's happened, Hoyt?"

"I'll tell you what's happened—I done some..._horrible_...things these past few weeks, Jason; seen some horrible things—been a part of them. I'm ashamed at myself—I'm surprised at myself—and I'm sorry for all of it."

"What are you tellin' me, Hoyt?"

"I rode with the Obamas, man...more than once...I was at that farm when...when..." Hoyt's voice faltered as his hands flew to his crumbling face.

Jason's face grew stern and unbelieving. "What the fuck are you tellin' me, Hoyt?" he demanded.

"I was there when they brought Luna in..." he looked up through anguished tears at Jason.

"What?" Jason shot up from his chair, too speechless to get out any other cohesive words.

"I didn't kill nobody, Jason!" Hoyt rose up, as well, and held out his hands as he approached his friend to try and calm him down; Jason backed away from him in horror.

"No—don't you touch me, man. You better start explaining yourself, and pronto!" Jason roared at him, loudly enough that the officers on night duty at their desks in the squad room all looked up in alarm at the two of them through the glass windows.

Hoyt, in all of his life, had never seen Jason in such a state; the anger that roiled off of him was searing, as a tangible as a blast of heat; there was a look in his eyes that was positively deadly; wild; and frightening to behold as he paced his office floor trying to control his obvious fury.

Hoyt took a step forward as he tried again to appeal to him.

Jason stopped in his tracks and glared menacingly at him. "Step away from me, Hoyt, and sit. The fuck. Back down."

Hoyt did immediately as he was told; Jason had gone way beyond Deputy Sheriff mode and into something worse that Hoyt couldn't put a finger on, but absolutely terrified him.

"Start talking," Jason ordered him as he began to pace the floor again.

"You know I've been in a bad way since...since Jessica; my life was shit; my job was shit—I ain't never felt like a grown man in the head, Jason, you know?" he began, desperately trying to explain himself and feeling only his own inadequacy; he thought back to that whole incident and felt only shame; as big as he had finally grown up to become, and in spite of it, Jason had always been the strongest of the two of them physically—when Hoyt had beaten Jason's ass over Jessica it was an empty victory because he knew that it was only Jason's guilt that allowed such a thing to happen, at all; Jason had been fighting his battles for him ever since third grade, and even after his growth spurt in junior high school. The memory only added to his shame. "Hell, I let my momma baby me all of my natural life and now even she has more of a life than I do! Then she goes and tells me the truth about my fucking daddy..." he trailed off in disgust at himself.

"What the fuck does any of this have to do with you and the Obamas, Hoyt?"

"I ain't a man, Jason! I'm damn near thirty-two years old and what do I have to show for myself? Nothing! I was angry—at the world—at my mother—at Jessica—but mainly myself! It was that frame of mind, man, that fucked-up place in my head that I was in, when I got myself involved with Joe Bob, Tyrese and Reggie—and then Sweetie and Bud.

"Look, I ain't tryin' to excuse what I did, Jason, I can't hardly believe the shit my damn self! Hangin' with them—it was just an outlet to vent my anger and then the shit got real, man—too real; next thing I know my dumb ass is out on a joy ride and those crazy fucks start puttin' on masks and whippin' out Uzi's an' shit and people were dyin'! I was in over my head! I didn't know what to do—and Jason—Sweetie and Bud ain't no fuckin' joke, man..." he said with real fear in his voice.

Jason rolled his eyes hard in his head as he turned away from Hoyt in disgust.

"Jason..."

"Why didn't you come to me, Hoyt!" Jason yelled at him when he turned back to face him.

"I...I was too ashamed, Jason!"

"Ashamed? Fuck 'ashamed', man—innocent people are DEAD, Hoyt!"

"Oh..." Hoyt shook his head in objection, "not so innocent, Jason, not all of them..."

"What the fuck are you sayin', boy?" Jason asked him through squinted eyes in obvious disbelief at what Hoyt was daring to imply. "Children, Hoyt; men and women sittin' on their own property, minding their own business...what's any shape-shifter ever done to you?"

"What about the vampires, huh? Feedin' on us, huh? Leaving us for dead like so much road kill, huh? What about that? And the werewolves, huh? And the were-panthers, man, that took you hostage and—"

Jason shot him a look then that made the hairs on the back of Hoyt's neck raise up; his mouth clamped shut as if it had a mind of its own, refusing him the ability to dare to speak another word.

"So...you're telling me that you are of the same accord with these fuckers, huh Hoyt? There's wrong motherfuckers in every Goddamn species and you and I both know it. But two wrongs don't make no right and neither does killing innocents, motherfucker, of which _those_ fucks took out more often than not. That make you proud to be human, huh? Running around, masked, under the cover of night, like a fucking coward, picking off people just cuz of what they are?"

"I didn't pick off anybody..."

"But you rode with them—based on what you just said sounds like you more than condone the shit to me, Hoyt."

"No—no, you got me all twisted up..."

"I ain't twisted up shit, Hoyt; you got a beef against supes just like the Obamas—what part of that did I not hear right?" Jason asked him calmly.

"No..."

"You rode with 'em, watched people die—you must have been okay with it, you didn't say shit—you didn't stop nobody—hell, you even went along more than once—you said."

Although Jason's words were calm each one was a searing accusation and affront to Hoyt's guilty conscience and finally he broke under the weight of it. "I got caught up! And then I met the Dragon—it was Sweetie, and God help me—Bud-fuckin'-Dearborne—right in there with her. You wouldn't have believed me if I had come to you!" he tried to defend himself.

"I damn sure woulda, Hoyt, Goddammit!" Jason railed at him.

Jason made a move toward Hoyt then stopped abruptly; he went to his chair and kicked it violently over as he thought about the lives that might have been spared had Hoyt come forward sooner; again the officers in the squad room looked in alarm towards Jason's office; when one of them dared to come to his door and knock lightly at it in concern Jason gave him a grim look but signaled a thumbs-up at him and the deputy went way with more than a puzzled look on his face. He went back to face off with Hoyt, still sitting fearfully in his chair, and leaned over the man as Hoyt reared back slowly from him.

"You..." Jason began slowly, his voice low, threatening and resolute, "are gonna tell me Goddamn everything you fuckin' know, Hoyt Fortenberry; _you_ ain't leaving Bon Temps any fuckin' time soon—you got that? I want names...dates—EVERY-MOTHERFUCKIN'-THING—cuz this case is going to trial and every guilty, murderin' bastard that had a hand in it is gonna be convicted, you hear me?"

"I didn't kill not one person, Jason..." Hoyt pleaded.

"Yeah, but you sure stood by and watched—ever hear the word 'accomplice', buddy? You damn sure are gonna have to prove you ain't killed nobody, you can best believe that. If I had even a shred of proof on that right now I'd take you down and throw you right the fuck in there with Bud...I got half a mind to put your ass in there, anyway..."

"Jason...I'll tell you everything I know—that's the fuck why I came here, man! But after that I gotta go—I gotta leave here—Bon Temps ain't good for me and I ain't no good for Bon Temps—I'll never be a man here and it's been time long overdue for me to grow the-fuck-up."

Jason gave a disgusted sniff at him as he raised up and away from Hoyt. "Is that all you come away with now, Hoyt? You wanna be a man? I'll tell you what—you're sure gonna fuckin' get your Goddamn wish; cuz I got news for you, Hoyt Fortenberry: if you ever hope to be a man you're gonna have to do it here...in Bon Temps—you don't man-up here in behind this shit? You never will anywhere else, either, that's a promise. And don't you even think about skipping outta town cuz I'll hunt your ass down, and by God? I'll find you—you got that?" Jason hissed at him.

Hoyt shrank further back into his seat.

"YOU GOT THAT?"

Hoyt flinched as he nodded his affirmation.

"Good." Jason said with a chilling smile on his face as he took Hoyt by the collar of his T-shirt and hoisted him up easily from the chair. "Now...my advice to you? You go home to your shitty life; you get up in the morning and report to your shitty job; and you stay glued to you cell phone, cuz when I call you? You better come running. Yeah?"

"Yeah, Jason..." Hoyt said as he wrested himself angrily out of Jason's grasp, "I got it."

Jason went to his door and held it open for Hoyt. "Good. Thanks for coming in," he said pleasantly, extending the common courtesy as he would to any stranger.

Hoyt lingered a moment, pissed off at Jason's entire manner.

"You know, Jason Stackhouse, I recall a time, in the not too distant past, when you embraced a whole religion and took up arms against vampires your damn-self."

"Why, that would be true—and I learned a very valuable lesson from the error of my ways, Mister Fortenberry—I'm gonna pray that you'll be blessed to be able to do the same. Now, if you don't mind, I have other business to attend to down in lock-up."

The thought of Bud Dearborne sobered Hoyt immediately and brought a different fear to him.

"Jason—"

"You just come when I call, hear?" With that Jason left Hoyt to go see Bud.

* * *

><p>"Aww, shit—what the fuck do you want?"<p>

"And good evening to you, Bud. Or should I say morning?" Jason asked as he leaned against the opposite wall of Bud's cell.

"I don't give a fuck what you say, Stackhouse," Bud grimaced at him as he stood in a far corner or his cell, his grip upon the bars tight enough to see that his knuckles were positively white.

Both men eyed each other suspiciously; Bud couldn't put a finger on anything in particular, mainly because he was in too much pain to be able to think straight, but it seemed that something was different about Jason; Jason, however, could smell the stench of sickness emanating from every pore in Bud's body.

"What's wrong with you, Bud? You need a doctor?"

"What's wrong with me? I'm in jail, you fucking moron. And for what? A few dead supes," he grunted through clenched teeth.

"Not just supes, Bud—you killed your wife, too."

"I'd like to see you prove it. I been fucking around on her for years—she got tired of it and left me, is all."

"That's your story, huh?"

"Fuck you, Sta—ooh..." Bud's grip upon the bars slipped as a spasm of pain shot through his abdomen; he leaned his forehead against the cold bars, determined to stay on his feet; he hoped that it was just a side-effect from the shitty food he'd dared to eat at lunch that day, too hungry to turn his tray down. He hoped.

"Looks like you need a doctor, man."

"I don't...need a fucking...doctor..." He labored to get the words out as he clutched at his stomach.

"Sure you do. I'll go get on that for ya."

"Fuck you, Stackhouse," Bud hissed at him.

"Yeah, you're welcomed," Jason said with a smirk as he peeled himself away from the wall and left him.


	128. Whichever Way He Wants To Go

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 128 Whichever Way He Wants To Go

* * *

><p>"Are you shittin' me?"<p>

"I am not—I can't believe it, Sook—how could he do such a thing?"

It was six in the morning and Jason was pacing Sookie's kitchen floor; he had inter-office e-mailed Kenya a brief report regarding Bud Dearborne's status and to request the arrangement for his transport to the local hospital; he also let her know that he would be calling Hoyt Fortenberry back in for official questioning in the Vigilante case; he put out some other fires on his desk and then headed to Sookie's to see the kids and vent.

"I gotta get everybody together and relay this latest bit of bullshit..."

"Calm down, Jason; I know it's real disappointing, but at least he finally came to you..."

"Yeah, like he could just waltz in, tell me that shit and leave town...Jesus..."

"Well, I can kinda understand how it happened—can't you? He's been in a bad way; then he got in way over his head, like he said..."

"What the fuck? You..." Jason shook his head at her in disbelief, "what? Feel sorry for him or something? What?"

"I'm not saying I agree with his actions, Jason, but yeah—I do feel sorry for him—and he sounds like he's scared, did you ever stop to think about that? He's obviously afraid of Bud—which I totally understand, but y'all didn't get everybody—yet...there's gotta be other Obamas out there on the loose that he's afraid of, too; I mean, Bud and Sweetie are in jail, but the whole country is divided about all supernaturals, these days, and they could very possibly go to trial and go free, right? That's what we're all afraid of, right? And there's still Benjamin Pope out there, only God knows where, gettin' ready to do God knows what...but Hoyt came in, Jason; too late? You can sure make that case but he's the one that's gonna have to live with that...for the rest of his life. Come on over here and sit down..." Sookie went to Jason and put a soothing hand to his shoulder; immediately a little shudder went through her and she smiled at him.

"What?" he asked her irritatedly. "Hey—"

"Hey nothing, I didn't do that on purpose," she scolded him. "I will say this, though—if he knew about you—he'd count his blessings that you still love him as much as you do, big brother, and appreciate that you really are still his friend."

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?"

Sookie saw the white, hot, burning rage that Jason had felt and all of the impulses he'd held at bay within himself; and how that rage that was overtaken by a flood of memories of his and Hoyt's lifetime of friendship—the good and the bad—and the one that lingered over all the rest: the one of two, young, scrappy boys; out on a sunlit March afternoon by the swamp who realized, and then declared, that they'd be best friends for life.

Sookie looked into her brother's eyes and she could almost feel the sun on her face; smell the lovely smell of grass and mud after the Spring rain that had caught them up on their walk home from school the day after Jason had whupped Kenneth Collins' little ass in defense of Hoyt.

_"It's rainin' Jason, I want to go home..." Hoyt complained._

_"No—not until you deck me at least one good time, Hoyt...now..." Jason went into a defensive stance, "put 'em up!"_

_"Jason...my momma's gonna have a fit—I'm late already..."_

_"Look, Hoyt," Jason began exasperatedly as he let his guard down, "you want Kenneth Collins doggin' you for the rest of the damn year? He's a damn bully and all you ever need to do is get one good hit on a bully and he won't come at you no more—ain't nobody ever told you? All bullies want is an easy target, man, they ain't trying to get hurt."_

_"So I hit one bully, it's just gonna be another one 'round the corner waitin' to take his place," little Hoyt whined._

_"You gotta fight back, Hoyt, even if you don't stand a chance in hell of winnin'—you gotta fight back," Jason implored him. "You think I win every fight? I don't..."_

_"Well, see? What chance do I stand, then?"_

_A big grin formed on Jason's face as a frown formed on Hoyt's._

_"Hoyt, I don't win every fight—but I don't make it easy for 'em, either—when that other damn bully around the corner sees that shit he'll pass you right on up. Now...come on—dukes up! We ain't leavin' this swamp until you get in a hit..."_

Sookie saw Jason finally resort to taunting Hoyt; a crack about his mother's tuna casserole finally made Hoyt mad enough to start swinging his fists in a flurry until one connected with Jason's jaw before he tackled him to the ground.

_"Take it back, Jason Stackhouse, take it back!"_

_"Hoyt?"_

_"What?"_

_"You hit me!"_

_"I did? I did! Oh—I'm sorry, Jason..."_

_"No, that was great! Try to use that, Hoyt...pretend like, whoever it is, they insulted your momma's tuna casserole," Jason suggested as excitedly as a mad scientist that had just discovered the most amazing thing ever in history of the world._

_"Oh, you didn't mean it?"_

_"Hell no—I love your momma's tuna casserole. C'mon, let's go home," Jason said as Hoyt scrambled up off of him. "That was a really good hit, Hoyt..." he said as he collected their school books from the ground; as they headed off Jason put his arm around Hoyt's shoulder. "Anybody that can hit me like that? Hell, is a friend of mine for life."_

_"You're crazy, Jason Stackhouse."_

_"Yep. So you my best buddy or not, Hoyt Fortenberry?"_

_"Really? Me? Me and you?"_

_"Hell yeah—look at this knot on my chin—only a best friend could get away with something like this..."_

_"Wow—look at it..."_

_"It hurts, too..."_

_"For real?"_

_"Hell yeah..."_

"You didn't need to turn into a panther to be able to rip his head off, Jason, but you didn't do it either way...because you know love...and fairness...and the difference between right and wrong." Sookie smiled at her brother. "I know you're mad as hell right now, and you should be. He made an awful mistake—we've all been there." She gave his hand a reassuring pat. "He came in; he'll come back and give his official statement and after that it's up to the law to determine what happens next, right? Right, honey? Jason?"

"Yeah," he admitted grudgingly. "I just can't believe...aw, shit."

"Look, hon—no one is more disappointed in Hoyt right now than Hoyt is, I guarantee you that."

"I guess. Look, we need to discuss some other things, sis."

"Okay—shoot."

"When are Bill and Tara gettin' in?"

"They should be in tonight, actually."

"Good. Look, I appreciate all the time you've spent with the kids, and believe it or not, even with everything that's still going on, I need to get 'em on back into our old routine and back to the house—starting tonight after work, huh?"

"Sure. You know it's been my joy to have them here, but I surely understand. So, what's the plan?"

"Well, I'm gonna impose on Becky and Timbo this one night to watch them..."

"You know they won't mind..."

"I know, but I don't want to make that a habit; I'm trying like hell myself to get back to a regular schedule at work, but it's always something, you know that."

Sookie gave her brother a sympathetic nod.

"I don't even know where to start...uh...okay—I need to see Eric, Holly, Sam and the rest and tell them this latest news about Hoyt and I'd like to do that with Bill and Tara, bring them up to speed at the same time..."

"That shouldn't be a problem—I'll call Jessica and find out exactly what time they're getting in—actually, she's gone to ground now—Lafayette will know! Those two have grown thick as thieves over these past few months," Sookie smiled to herself. "He'll help me get everybody locked down for a meeting time tonight—I'll call you as soon as we have that arranged, hon."

"Cool, thanks. Okay...the kids...everybody tonight..." Jason mumbled to himself, "uh...oh!"

"Yeah?"

"There's about to be a gang of funerals poppin' off in the next couple of weeks—Luna's sister is coming to retrieve her body and take her back for burial on the reservation."

"Oh, wow—I thought her people viewed her as some kind of, I don't know, outcast or something, because of her mother?"

"They did—I think her father has had a change of heart. And he wants to meet his granddaughter, as I understand it. And there's Roger Hunt and the other officers that died out at the farm that day; and then there's the Senator's son—his body's being escorted home later this afternoon."

"Does that mean that the FBI will finally be out of your hair?"

"Not at all—they still want to take over the investigation completely, the fuckers."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I know I'm forgettin' something...Hadley! You heard from her since she went back to Rayne?"

"Remy's mom's funeral is next week and then they'll be back home."

"Give her my love if you talk to her before I do?"

"Sure will," Sookie smiled at him.

"Duh!" Jason gave his forehead a slap. "Warlow! How's everything going with you two?"

"He's been a real comfort to me, Jason. I'm glad he's here."

Jason looked at his sister then—really looked at her—and found her serene, beautiful face to be the most calming thing he'd seen in a long time. If Warlow was responsible for that, then God bless him.

"I'm glad to hear that, Sook," he smiled warmly back at her. "Well, thanks for lettin' me bend your ear. Oh—one more thing..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna see to Crystal," he said sadly then.

"Oh, honey..."

"She didn't have nobody left, not that I know of, anyway. I owe her that much. I just want to have a nice, quiet, private little service—I hope you'll come."

"Of course I will, Jason," she took one of his hands across the table into both of hers.

"She had such a horrible life, but she didn't deserve to end up the way she did. You know, I hate to sound all morbid and stuff, but we ain't found a proper replacement for Mike Spencer yet—we had to get help from the Shreveport coroner with all of this, of course, and some volunteers from Bunkie and Monroe, too. You know—aw, forget it."

"What, sweetheart?" Sookie asked him softly.

"Nothing. I think I'm gonna go up and stretch out for a bit, catch a cat nap."

"Okay."

Jason stood up and gave a loud, lazy yawn through a languid stretch then stopped abruptly at entryway on the way out of the kitchen; he turned and gave his sister a funny look.

"What?"

"Did I really just say 'cat nap'?"

Sookie chuckled at him. "You sure did."

"Christ on a cracker..." he sighed his reprimand at himself as he turned to go.

Just as Jason disappeared out of her sight the back door opened and Warlow came in.

"Well—where were you?" Sookie smiled up at him.

"Just out in the yard enjoying the morning sun."

"Jason asked about you—he would have loved to see you."

"I thought you two might need some time alone. Is he alright?"

"He will be. In time."

"Well, I'll be here when he gets up," Warlow smiled at her as he took the seat that Jason vacated.

"Well, good...because I think he would benefit greatly from one of your wonderful hugs, Warlow."

"It will be my pleasure."

"Good."

There, in the quiet morning, in the little time left before the house came alive with activity, Sookie relayed to Warlow what she and Jason had discussed as they prepared breakfast for everyone.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Kenya and Jason were at the hospital, listening in shock to Doctor Robideaux's prognosis of Bud Dearborne.<p>

"He's out of remission—the MRI shows very definitely that the cancer has spread, I'm afraid," the doctor said grimly. "I'm no specialist, but I do see a troubling mass, amongst other places, in the brain."

"Have you told him yet?" Kenya asked him.

"He surely must already suspect it, Sheriff Jones, based on the pain he's been dealing with associated with the polyps that have returned in his...uh, associated with his original diagnosis, but no—I wanted to tell you first. Now, we don't have an oncology specialist here for what ails him and that's what he needs—Shreveport or Baton Rouge can accommodate—he was seen in Baton Rouge before and attended to by Doctor Richard Kearny—I can certainly put the call in."

"Well then, it's either going to be Shreveport or Baton Rouge," Kenya repeated firmly, "whichever way Bud wants to go. Please go ahead and tell him, Doctor Robideaux, we've got get arrangements made."

"Of course."

The doctor left them to break the news to Bud as Kenya and Jason looked sadly at one another; they stood in the hallway, speaking quietly when suddenly there was a violent commotion in Bud's room; they took off running to find Bud up and out of his bed, swinging wildly at the doctor, who was cowering in a corner on the floor, trying to protect himself against the blows of the plastic food tray in Bud's hand.

"Bud! Bud, put the tray down!" Kenya called out to him.

"Fuck you, Kenya! Fuck you all!"

"Bud, don't make me draw my gun on you, man," Jason said as he put his hand to his holster. "Drop the motherfuckin' tray, man!"

"Nurse! Nurse! We got a patient in here that needs to be restrained! Put the tray down, Bud!" Kenya yelled out again.

"You think..." Bud hissed at her, "that I'm gonna go through _that_ shit again?"

"Bud!"

"Argh!" he cried out in agony, then directed his rage back at the poor man on the floor and whacked the doctor again, hard against his head; the old man whimpered and then lost consciousness; several nurses rushed in, two male and two female and between them and Jason they managed to restrain Bud and then administer a strong sedative to him.

"Jesus Christ, he's lost his mind!" Jason rushed over to Doctor Robideaux. "Hey guys—over here..." The nurses had Bud back in bed; two attended to him and the other two came to the doctor's aid; a gurney was brought in and the doctor was wheeled out.

Everybody left in the room looked at Bud, unconscious then, himself, then at each other in shock.

"I hate to do it, but...cuff him to the bed, Deputy Stackhouse," Kenya ordered him sadly.

"Yes ma'am."

"And he's on suicide watch—call it in."

"Yes ma'am."


	129. A Little Slice Of Normal

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 129 A Little Slice Of Normal

* * *

><p>True to her word Sookie called Lafayette to help her coordinate a meeting for Jason with Bill and Tara; he came over to her house between his shift with the road crew and his next at Merlotte's.<p>

"They get in tonight about nine—Tara called me before they took off; I left messages at Fangtasia, Eric's house and for Jessica on her cell and with Miss Gustav..." Lafayette said as he stood before Sookie's refrigerator perusing the contents with one raised eyebrow. "Y'all got enough Gator-Ade up in here, or what?"

"Oh...that was Jason's—he went through a heap more than that the first few days after his first transformation—help yourself..." she said absently as she dialed Jason's number from her cell phone. "So, I should tell him about ten, huh?" she asked him as she waited for her brother to pick up.

"Fo sho, baby—since everybody is here Sam said meet at his place—he's gonna close early..."

"Okay...Jason? Hi, Hon—oh, okay...okay...wow...okay—ten o'clock at Merlotte's tonight...everybody will be there...okay, hon, talk to you later..." Sookie hung up hurriedly, a frown on her face.

"Oh, Lawd—now what?" Lafayette asked her as he took a seat at the kitchen table to join her.

"They're having big problems with Bud Dearborne—that's all he had time to say..."

"You bet yo sweet ass they havin' big problems with Bud Dearborne..." Lafayette said before he took a long swig of Gator-Ade.

"Well?"

"Mmm...I been dehydrated all day, I needed that. So look—Jesus got a friend at the hospital—they took Bud in this morning cuz he was sick—he outta remission, Sook; muthafucka's _full_ of cancer, girl—he went batshit when they told him...damn near killed ol' Doc Robideaux with a fuckin' plastic food tray..."

"Oh, my God!"

"Yeah, that rat-bastard—he'll probably die before they even get his ass to trial..." The disgust registered on Lafayette's face matched that in his voice.

"What a horrible mess...well, Sweetie'll sure be around long enough to try."

"Yeah, I guess. So? How you been, sweetness? How's Warlow? Where _is_ Warlow?" Lafayette asked as he leaned back in his chair, fanned at himself and looked his question around the kitchen exaggeratedly.

"Oh, behave yourself," Sookie giggled, "he's got a thing about giving people their privacy when they come to see me—he's upstairs with Michelle and Corbett..."

"Well, that's awful considerate of him. Look at you, blushin' an' shit—I don't have to ask nuthin' else 'bout that, I see..." Lafayette smiled at her. "Imagine that shit, though..."

"What?"

"Dude comes from, literally, God knows where, and he spends all of his time babysittin'..."

Sookie's light laughter joined his as she shook her head at her own self. "Yeah, I've been feeling kind of funny about that, myself, but that's all over tonight—Jason is coming after work to take the kids home and get them back on schedule again."

"All this mess goin' on? I sho wish him good luck with that..."

"Me, too, but he's determined, Lafayette, and there haven't been anymore shootings since Bud and Sweetie have been locked up..." she reminded him.

"Yeah, Sook, but it ain't been much more than a couple of days, I hope we's out the woods, but I ain't holdin' my breath on it," he said as he rose from the table to throw his bottle away. "Anyway...I guess that mean you'll be free to be at Merlotte's tonight, huh?"

"Oh, no—they have much too much real business to discuss—I want to see Tara something awful, but I'm sure—"

"What?" Lafayette wheeled around in disbelief. "I know they got major shit to deal with, but I'm gon be there, just long enough to see her and give her big ol' hug—you can do that much, Sook."

"Well, you I understand—but I'll just wait until they're done, Lafayette—if she has time to see me..." Sookie's little smile at him was unconvincing and the frown on his face told her so.

"What's the matter with you, Sook? What you mean, 'if she has time'?" He waited for her to answer. "Sook?" Lafayette saw a single tear roll down her cheek and past her fragile smile. "Sookie—"

He went to her with his arms outstretched and took her into his embrace. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know, Lafayette, I can't really explain it. Please just give her my love and tell her that...tell her that I'm here, okay? Tell her that when she's done at Merlotte's to please call me and I'll come running."

"Sookie?"

"I'm okay. Just do that for me, huh? Please?" she asked him as she wiped her tears away.

Lafayette gave her a skeptical look.

"I'm okay, really Lafayette, just tell her?"

"You got it," he smiled sweetly at her.

"Look, get on before you're late for work; thanks for helping me get this all together for Jason."

"My pleasure, babycakes—you sure you okay?"

"I am, really. Hurry up, now..." Sookie took his hand and led him to the front door, then gave him a kiss to the cheek. As she watched him get in his truck and leave she heard Warlow walk softly up behind her.

"Sookie? Are you alright?"

"You already know the answer to that, so why are you asking, Warlow?" She turned to face him, a hint of anger upon her own.

"I feel your distress, that's all—but I'm not in your head, Sookie."

She glowered at him.

"Won't you please talk to me?"

"What am I doing? Really, what am I doing? With you? With my life?"

"I don't understand..."

"Don't you? You make such a big deal about leaving me to my privacy whenever somebody comes around but before they're even barely gone from my sight, here you are."

"I heard voices at the door, that's all, I could hear that he was leaving..."

"Is that all you heard?"

"Sookie, I don't understand—"

"You know, most people stay and greet a visitor—_then_ they excuse themselves if it's necessary—you don't do that."

"I'm sorry that makes you angry. I can—"

"You can what? Sit here and play house with me while the world falls apart? I should be at work..."

"Are you ready to go back to work?"

"Well, I need to be ready to go back to something—do I want to be a waitress all of my life? No, but that's all I am, Warlow, with no hope of being anything else. With everything that's been going on everybody else is still moving on; everybody else has a purpose..."

"You don't think there is a purpose to your life, Sookie?"

"No, I don't; I really don't. All I am is trouble. Well...I'm not even that, anymore, sitting around here with you, just—just—"

"This little taste of normalcy has sent you into a bit of a tailspin, I see."

To anyone else his tone would have sounded more than benevolent, but Sookie could hear his mockery of her underneath it all. "Oh," she groaned at him, "oh...don't you dare stand there and try to call what's been going on here between me and you 'normal', Warlow. God, I hate your name," she muttered to herself as she brushed past him, headed for the stairs.

"Sookie..." he called to her.

"Shit—I hate my own name..." she said as she turned and looked at him from the first landing.

"Our first fight?" he smiled sadly at her.

"It can be our one and only." She crossed her arms defiantly at him.

Warlow's face turned serious. "Yes, you're right. If that is your wish all you have to do is say so."

"Because you got what you wanted, right?" she shot at him through a stoney glare.

Warlow stood taller but said nothing.

"Right?" she demanded.

"All you have to do is say the words."

They were standing there—Warlow at the screen door, Sookie on the first landing of the stairs—staring each other down, when they heard a car pull into the yard and then loud, eager feet bounding up the steps.

"Hey guys...what's going on?"

"Hello, Jason..." Warlow said as he opened the door to let him in.

"Hi, Jason—you off early?"

"Yeah—I made some headway with some other issues after we shipped Bud Dearborne on off to Baton Rouge this morning—I'm here for Corbett and Michelle," he smiled at them both.

"Baton Rouge?"

"His doctor is there, a specialist...that treated him before; he's gonna go through more extensive testing, but the doctor called Sheriff Jones after he looked at the x-rays taken at the hospital this morning—he's gonna call again after does his own exam and whatnot, but I got enough info to go forward with our meeting tonight; so I'm picking the babies up early, Miss Maxine is picking up Timbo and Becky, and _I'm _cooking dinner tonight," he beamed at them. "Gonna sit down at my own dining table—no offense, Sookie—and have a meal, at home, with my kids." He passed her on the landing and disappeared.

Sookie said nothing more as she turned and left Warlow to go help Jason collect the babies.

* * *

><p>Sam had the restaurant closed at eight o'clock and the kitchen staff cleared out by nine, at which time Jessica promptly showed up to help him and Lafayette set up the seating. Within the next half-hour Jason, Sabeen, Antanas, Holly, Ginger, Chow, Alcide, Nora, and Borys Olesky arrived; Kirsch arrived last representing for the Area Sheriffs nationwide.<p>

"Where are Eric and Pam?" Sam asked Ginger.

"They'll be here in a minute," she assured him. "Where's Hadley?"

"She's in Rayne—her mother-in-law died and she's with her husband's family now," Sam explained.

"I'll fill her in on everything," Holly told them.

"I thought Sookie might be here..." Nora looked over at Jason, who was in quiet conversation with Alcide.

Jason looked his own bewilderment at Nora, surprised at himself to realize that he hadn't even given his sister's presence at the meeting a thought before then.

"Why_ isn't_ Sookie here?" Jessica whispered at Lafayette from across the table in the booth they were seated before Jason could get out an answer.

Lafayette shrugged, "She said she didn't want to interfere," he whispered back at her.

"Interfere?" Nora's whipped around to face their direction. "That's ridiculous..."

Just then the two they had all been anxiously awaiting materialized before them all.

"Cousin!" Lafayette jumped up and went to her.

"Lafayette!"

"Damn, it feels like it's been forever," he said as he hugged her tightly.

Everyone in the dining room felt the same; in spite of the dire circumstances that had called them all together, the group of friends assembled at Merlotte's that night were all happy to see each other again.

When they finally released each other Lafayette turned his attention to Bill. "Hey, Bill, good to have you home, man."

Bill gave him a warm pat upon the back. "It is good to be back, thank you, Lafayette."

"Well, I ain't stayin'—I know y'all got business to take care of, but I wasn't leavin' before I could do this..." He gave his cousin a kiss to her cold cheek and then she walked him to the door.

"Damn—I can't wait to talk to you, LaLa! How is everybody, at least? Jesus? Ruby Jean? Mama? How come Sookie's not here?"

"Look, baby-girl, they's ALL dyin' to see you as soon as you got the time...speaking of which, yo girl said call her when you can and she'll come running, hear?"

"I hear you. I love you, LaLa—so good to see this face again..." she gave him a happy squeeze. "Alright, cuz, catch up with you in a minute."

"In a minute." Lafayette waved his goodbye at everyone and was gone.

Jessica was the next one to shower the couple with her happy hugs and kisses as everyone else gathered around to welcome them home.

"Alright, everybody," Sam began apologetically, "I hate to be the one to interrupt this happy reunion, but...I got tables set up special, grab a seat..."

Everyone took a seat.

"Where's the Viking?" Tara asked then.

"Here..." said Eric as he appeared out of thin air and then strolled slowly toward them with a big grin on his face.

"Well...get on over here, my Liege," she beamed at him.

"Room for one more?" came the snide—and unmistakeable—Southern drawl of the female vampire sauntering slowly from the direction of Sam's office. Ever the clothes horse, she looked stunning in an elegant sleeveless Dolce & Gabbana ruched sheath dress of teal green silk chiffon, printed with horizontal stripes made up of ancient Roman coins; she stopped and put a challenging hand to her hip as she concentrated her gaze upon the two in the room that she hadn't seen since the witch war, her defiant stance punctuated by an exquisite pair of Debout Louboutin's, the heel and toe highlighted in golden Python.

Tara shot up form her seat. "Fuck me! Pam?" Her face was a furious question mark.

Bill shot up from his seat, ready to stop, what he was sure, an ensuing brawl. "Pam," he smiled as he held Tara back, "Eric said that he had a surprise—I am glad that it is such a happy one..." Bill looked his confusion at her and then at Eric.

"Oh, put your fucking eyes back in your head, Bill," she snarled at him. "So—you're one of us now—imagine that shit," she directed dryly at Tara then.

"You're still one of us—imagine that shit. I'm not even gonna ask how."

"Well, you should—you could learn a thing or two. I heard that you switched your allegiance—got tired of being a witch, did you?"

"Maybe I'm still a witch—but it's nice to see that you didn't get tired of being a bitch," Tara snapped back at her.

"Why, thank you," Pam smiled at her proudly as she gave Tara a condescending once-over with her unsmiling eyes. "And you're welcomed—I understand you have me to thank for bringing you two idiots together," she said, her voice laced with sure disgust.

Tara's tongue froze; she found herself unable to issue any retort as she thought back to that fateful night on the path that ended up leading her on one she had never envisioned for herself but was thankful to be on, in spite of everything that had happened since.

"Yeah, whatever..." Pam's smile turned into a sneer as she continued forward and pushed past Tara to take a seat. "By the way...welcome to the fold." Her words, sounding nothing at all like congratulations, were full of contempt.

"Oh no you didn't just bump into me," Tara began hotly, her nostrils flaring and fangs bared.

"Bill..." Eric called his name in warning through a smile that had turned deadly, "As your King I command you to put a muzzle on that."

Bill ignored him as Tara shot a contemptuous look at Eric. "Tara..." Bill pleaded softly at her as he held her at bay.

Everyone in the room was on the edge of their seats, amazed at how the happy moments from before had turned into such a situation gone so quickly and terribly wrong; they all watched Tara as she easily escaped Bill's grip, rushed Pam with her vampire speed and pulled her up out of her chair.

"Get your fucking hands off of me, Tara," Pam warned her icily, "or I'll finish what I started on the path that night..._fledgling_..."

"Bill..." The rest of Eric's sure command was tersely implied but left unspoken.

Bill bristled at the fact that Eric didn't order Pam to back down, as well, but had no other choice than to follow his King's command. "Tara, please..."

Tara ignored all but the one before her. "Fuck everything from before, Pam..." Tara snarled at her; everyone waited tensely to see what would happen next. A smile erupted on Tara's face suddenly as she brought her old nemesis into a friendly embrace. "I'm happy to see you, bitch—act like you know..."

Ever since Sookie and the two witches had helped to resurrect her from her Marnie Stonebrook-induced torpor Pam had been horrified to find that snatches of her humanity had been resurrected, as well; she had no problem admitting to or expressing her feelings—in private of course—for Eric. Her ability—let alone, desire—to do so for anyone else had died along with her physical body over a hundred years before...at least until the night Sookie reunited her with Eric. She found Tara's warm welcome foreign, uncomfortable and pleasing all at once; an awkward little smile was forming at one corner of her mouth and she immediately checked herself and banished it from her face.

"Yeah...whatever..." she threw Tara's hands off of her, smoothed her dress and primped her full, golden locks, all through a hard roll away of her eyes, but no one in the room was fooled.

There was a collective and audible sigh heard throughout the room as Eric approached the two women and gave each a warm squeeze to the shoulder as he ushered them silently to their seats.

"Alright, let's get to it, shall we? Bill...Tara—welcome back—were any of you able to find out anything useful about Benjamin Pope?"

"Unfortunately, no; Shashen'Ka and Victor are still combing through their files on Octavian Valerius trying to find even a shred of reference to him; Sarah Newlin and Trey Horne are staying behind to conduct their investigation," Bill informed them all.

"I was the one who supplied Octavian's writings to Bill and Tara during their investigation of him," Sabeen spoke up then, "and I have others that I will be taking back to Minsk when we leave—I hope there will be something in them to aid us, since our focus has now been redirected."

"Thank you, Sabeen, I hope so, as well," Eric nodded at her.

"Have you found any evidence of the fry rooms Pope spoke of?" Tara asked.

"Not to date; with the help of the Continental Monarch's, and others, we're still gathering intelligence; we've investigated all of the secret bunkers that we know of—nothing. We're concentrating now on hidden-in-plain-sight facilities, like the oil wells in Los Angeles; off-shore oil rigs, disguised government buildings and the like," Chow informed them.

"What about Dowling? Who the hell was it that met with you, Borys? Does anyone have any idea?" Bill asked him.

"Well...Dowling had a twin brother..." Borys began tentatively; everyone in the room sat up at rapt attention. "But he died at childbirth...unless it was an operative, made up by some Hollywood special effects team—"

"Like some Mission Impossible bullshit..." Jason muttered under his breath.

Borys gave an amused but silent chuckle. "Maybe. But I'm more inclined to think that we're dealing with a...shape-shifter?"

"Hell no! Who in their right mind would be party to such a betrayal?" came Sam's indignant outburst.

"Well, Sam, if I hadn't seen him with my own eyes, I never would have believed it about Russell Edgington—and we all know what madness ensued from his desire to be a true daywalker..." Eric said then.

"We have to consider everything, Sam," came Antanas Valinsky's sad, delicate reminder.

Sam continued to shake his head at himself in disbelief at such a thing.

"Jason, what's going on in the Vigilante case? You said that you had news?"

"Well, Eric, Sweetie Des Arts is cooperating well-enough, giving up names of the assholes in their gang, but about the torture of the supernaturals we found in that basement? Not so much. I think she and Bud think, even with all of the evidence stacked against them, that public sentiments and support will translate to an acquittal, and they could be fuckin' right, especially if they say nothing about Armand Sunderland and the others we found in the basement; I know it had to be destroyed, but without that footage of the torture we got no other real proof. Have y'all seen the latest?"

Everyone in the room nodded in question at him.

"We got some fuckin' copycat's reported, just 'fore I come over here—Dallas. It'll be all over the news soon. Stupid assholes can get behind some good ol' boy, gun-totin' terror tactics and the death of supes they feel got no rights, anyways, but even Bud and Sweetie know enough that their real plans? Can't nobody in good conscience get behind that. And Bud might not even make it to trial, his damn self, anyway."

"Why not? Eric asked.

"His cancer come back—worse than before, man, he's outta remission. Man, when that sick bastard found out this morning he like to killed Doc Robideaux; he was air-lifted to Baton Rouge to see his former specialist, Doctor Kearny; Kearny looked at the x-rays taken this morning and corroborated that the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes and he's got a huge, fast-growing mass in his brain."

"That's too good for him," Alcide grumbled.

"Maybe, but not that ass-cancer that came back," Jason smiled wickedly then caught himself. "I'm sorry, that ain't right of me, at all. Anyway, my boss, Sheriff Jones, thought that maybe that tumor in his brain had caused a personality shift—"

"She sympathizes with him..." Eric's tone was statement of accusation.

"No! No, man—she's looking for some kind of explanation, you know?" Jason defended her.

Eric grimaced at him. "Did she find one?"

"Yeah...yeah, man, she did—Doctor Kearny did some other testing on him and called Sheriff Jones this evening—it ain't that kind of tumor...even if it had been Bud let us know, in no uncertain terms, that he ain't sorry for nothin' that he's done. None of it."

"So where does that leave us now?" asked Jessica.

"Well, the preliminary hearing is set for this Wednesday."

"We need to have a Town Hall meeting, as soon as possible..." said Nora in a panic.

"And tell everybody what, exactly?" asked Kirsch then, her irritation rolling off of her in waves.

"It may not be much, but what we know, damn it; answer honestly whatever questions that we can..." Nora shot back.

"I understand everyone's upset, but taking out our frustrations on each other helps no one—" Eric looked sternly at Kirsch and then his sister. "We stay on task—Nora set up a meeting for as soon as possible; Bill and Tara, we all know that the UV weapons are a reality—we need you to take a territory and help us continue our search for fry rooms, if they really exist, at all; Sabeen, we need you to get back to Minsk and help Sarah and Trey in the search for Pope, we all know he's the key to all of this. Everybody else—keep up the good work, I appreciate everyone's efforts, more than you know," Eric concluded.

Everyone rose from their seats to leave.

"I'm sorry, Nora..." Kirsch said as she approached her. "We're taking all of the heat—I've already had my hands full dealing with angry, resentful vampires..."

"I understand, Kirsch, and that's what Benjamin Pope wants—for us all to get angry enough to join his side—there is a better way, but it is not his way—we simply cannot let the old tactic of divide and conquer rule any of us supernaturals—not now or ever, that's all." Nora put a reassuring hand to the other vampire's shoulder.

Kirsch held her tongue; she gave Nora a farewell nod and then was gone.

"Hey, Holly—you're on my way home—how about I trail you, huh? Make sure you get in safe?"

"Why, thank you, Alcide, that's awful sweet of you."

"My pleasure."

They walked over to the others to say goodnight and left.

Jessica was chomping at the bit then, anxious to get back to the house and the little party she had planned for Bill and Tara; she wanted to pretend, if even for just a little while, that things were back to normal, like in the only Halcyon days she had ever known: the brief time after the witch war, when Bill had finally found some peace after his formal break-up with Sookie, and had managed to find his solace and joy in being a true father to Jessica, as well as nursing her through her own hurt after her break-up with Hoyt.

The time they had spent together remodeling the drawing room had been a fun and necessary distraction for them both—as well as an enlightening one for Jessica. Bill had opened up to her fully and talked freely to her of his own history, answering any question that she dared to put to him. She was living a lifetime, in those days, that she had only read about or seen in G-rated movies, the only types that had been allowed in her human home, and far removed from the life that she had actually lived with her parents. Many nights, when Bill wasn't treating her to a story of one of his many adventures in time, he read passages to her from his favorite books until her limbs became heavy with the approach of the rising sun; he would carry her to her cubby and leave her with a sweet kiss to her cheek. The love she felt emanating from him was better than anything she had known in her short life, human or vampire.

She knew that they all had a long road ahead of them but she longed to experience that happiness again; just the simple joy of being together, at least for that one night. Hopefully, they would all triumph again and be the bastions of peace that Chancellor Ridley Manners believed they could show humans that vampires were capable of being. Or maybe not. Jessica had already decided she would worry about tomorrow...tomorrow; that night she just wanted to taste even a little bit of the joy they had known with her truest father and now the rest of her beloved family.

"Well, Blackburn and Julian are waiting for us at the house, you guys—we have one night, at least, to celebrate you being home..." Jessica smiled at Tara and Bill. "Anybody else want to join us?"

"I'd like to, but Pam, Chow and I have got to go with Nora and Borys to see the Chancellor now," Eric apologized.

"I would, too, but I've got to get back to Fangtasia—things always start to pick up right about this time and I'm breaking in a new bartender," said Ginger with a sincere look of regret on her face. "Glad you guys are back..." She gave them each a warm hug; after a nod at Eric and Pam she disappeared.

"Until tomorrow, then—goodnight, all." Eric and his party vanished from sight.

"Sam? Jason? How about you two?"

"I can come by for a minute, but I do have to get home to my kids..." said Jason.

"Count us in, as well," said Antanas as he wrapped and arm around Sabeen.

"Me too, I can hang for a minute—hey, y'all mind if I bring a friend? She's totally cool people, I promise..." Sam smiled at them all, then caught Tara looking at him.

"Not that I need to, but I can vouch for that," Tara smiled at him.

"Well, of course, Sam—the more the merrier!" Jessica's face was a mix of curiosity and delight.

"Alright let me just cut these lights..." Sam left them for a moment to make sure everything was locked up and shut down. "Okay, I'm just gonna run back and get her and see you guys in a minute," he said when he returned to them.

"Cool! Let's go!" Jessica beamed at them all as she led the way excitedly out of the restaurant.


	130. Sure

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 130 Sure

* * *

><p>"Sookie?" came the excited, cheerful voice on the other end of the line.<p>

"Tara? Hey!" Sookie was so glad to hear her friend's voice that tears came immediately to her eyes. "Tara..."

"What's wrong? Sookie? What is it?" Tara's voice went from cheer to immediate alarm.

"I'm...I'm just so glad to hear your voice, honey...so..." Sookie tried to stifle her sniffles as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her free hand, "...I'm so glad you're back, that's all."

"What the fuck, Sookie?" Tara's demand was harsh and she waited exactly zero seconds for a response. "I need to come over there..." came her angry declaration.

"No—I understand that Jessica planned a really nice welcome-home party for you two, and a beautiful party with my friends is just what I need right now."

"Well then, get your ass over here, girl...yesterday, I mean it, Sookie Stackhouse." Tara snapped at her.

"I'm coming." Sookie smiled into the phone and was still smiling after she had rung off; Tara's reprimand had been caustic and angry yet infused with more love than anyone dared to shake a stick at, and as always Sookie offered up her silent thanks to God that Tara was still in her life to do so. She pulled herself together, got up from her bed and went to the bathroom to splash her face with some cold water; she took a deep breath and then headed for her door; standing outside of it was Warlow.

"You're going to leave without answering my question?" he asked her, calm and kind as ever.

"Don't do that," she began irritatedly.

"Do what?"

"Be all magnanimous and wonderful thereby making me feel like a piece of shit."

"I'm not trying to make you feel that way."

"Well, you are. So fight fair for once—show some fucking emotion, Warlow! You're on the verge of being kicked to the curb—don't you have any feelings about that?"

"Only on the verge?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do have feelings about that, contrary to popular belief."

"Look, I promise I'll have the words for you later tonight, but right now I'm expected somewhere that I really want to get to and going there just might help me make this hard decision that I have to make, Warlow."

"I don't think it's hard for you, at all, Sookie. You already know what you want to do—you don't have to let me down easy."

"Because you're a big boy, right? You're not human...you're not God...you only have sexual intercourse every, what? Every Millennia or some shit? So you've really got this dating thing down, right? Who am I, really? Who are you? And who the fuck is "God", for that matter? Because—he, or she, or it—has done a really horrible job at being a parent...to make all of this shit and just abandon it and let it all go completely hell—forever! No tangible guidance, no instructions—just mysteries—upon mysteries, upon more mysteries; confusion; deadly divisions between races and religions because the Bible? Why that must just be a big ol' inside joke, huh? Joke on us? Because nobody really understands it; nobody really trusts that it hasn't been perverted and bastardized by the assholes that use it to control the masses, or try to, anyway. I mean, you try to believe; you read it and you say, "Well, what a nice bunch of fanciful fairy tales'—then you find out you're a fucking fairy! And then you read some Greek myths and see some similarities here and there and say, "Okay, the drugs today don't have _shit_ on whatever is _they_ were smokin' back in the day'—then YOU show up! Oh! Oh! And not only do you show up, Magical Mystery Man, but you tell me, to my face, that you're not going to answer, like, ninety-nine point nine percent of _my_ questions, thank you very much, now bend over and call me Big Poppa!"

Sookie's rage was quiet but all-consuming; yet she willed herself to keep her hands at her side even though her mind was watching a lovely game of 'Blast the Angel Back To Heaven' being played at her capable fingertips; she stood there staring at him, tight-lipped and beyond frustration.

Warlow retreated across the hall from her and leaned his back against the wall, clearing the way for her to go as he crossed his arms behind him. "Well," he said finally, "that calls for quite the discussion, but you have somewhere to go, unfortunately."

"Oh, fuck you—discussion...you're not going to discuss anything with me and you know it."

"There are some things that I can tell you, Sookie, but they're terribly simple; so simple that it will only serve to make you even angrier. But, we can talk about it when you get back, before you dismiss me. Or you can dismiss me now and be free of me forever."

"Oh...I gotta hear this—c'mon—downstairs..." she ordered him, then led the way with angry steps down to the living room.

They sat down on the couch and faced each other; Sookie's face registered only sure skepticism, for she did not believe that Warlow would actually come clean about anything that really mattered; his eyes at her were still full of serene warmth and affection but his face was serious and unsmiling.

Sookie came right out with it. "Who is God?"

"God is an entity that can't be described in a way that you could ever fully comprehend."

"Convenient. So...he likes 'em stupid," she grunted at him, her voice full of disgust.

Warlow could not not help the little chuckle that erupted from him. "Not at all, Sookie; to even hear God's true name," he shook his head at her, "is simply not possible to speak; the word itself is so powerful that just hearing it in its true language would kill you. Why do you think there is the need for Heavenly go-betweens, such as myself?"

"So He—I'm just gonna call him He, if you don't mind, since I'm so basic and unworthy—makes all of these creatures He can't communicate with for what? Shits and giggles? Then he got bored and made some new toys to play with? Is that it?"

"No, Sookie. Everything, every creature, on this planet has been created out of love. And you are not abandoned. Just like me there are many things in the Bible that are true—'But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day—"

"'Is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day'..." Sookie finished for him. "Yeah, Second Peter, chapter three, verse eight. Okay, so what's He been doing since what—two, three weeks ago, his time?"

"Don't be like that; you must know that God's ability to create is infinite—and there are no mistakes—perceived imperfections, but no mistakes."

"Really? Try telling that to a Fitzroy River Turtle," she harrumphed at him. Warlow gave her a reprimanding little smile. "I like to watch the Science Channel, shoot me."

"I'm glad your anger is abating enough to make jokes—at least a little bit?"

"Don't be too glad. So... His ability to create is infinite—as in, we're not alone, right?"

"Of course you aren't."

"So, he just goes happily about the galaxies creating shit and losing interest."

"God gives free will, Sookie..."

"Free will to murder and rape; steal and kill—you know, all the stuff the Ten Commandments tell us not to do."

"And free will to follow them, as much as is humanly possible, to be better—to love instead of hating. Without free will you would be helpless and have no life span at all, have you ever thought of that? What good is there for a baby to never grow? To never learn what is expected of her to be able live in the world?"

"Babies are taught by their parents and then sent out into the world later with some basic education; some kind of knowledge; some kind of anything if they're lucky and more if they're extremely privileged, Warlow; not kicked out of the crib and left in the woods to be eaten alive by wild animals; and greedy miscreants and murderous marauders—that's what it's been like to live on this planet, now and always and we were just dumped here and abandoned; nothing tangible to go on, no direction—nothing useful to guide us, at all."

"Of course you were—your very DNA, Sookie; the truest blueprint for all of life...your instincts for survival are coded—they don't have to be taught. And you are not abandoned; no matter what type of parent you are your children leave to go live their own lives—which you will not control, nor should you; they go off and make their own life decisions; as a parent you can only hope that their decisions will be good ones—and they won't always be. You can say bad parenting, in some cases; you can cry victim of circumstance, a host of other reasons and excuses—but ultimately your choices and actions are your own and you either reap the rewards or suffer the consequences."

"I can't read my DNA, Warlow; I can't pray to it; it doesn't answer my questions—and what about cancer? DNA dictates that most if not all cancers are hereditary—you're predisposed—what about that? DNA can fuck you up pretty good."

"It answers every question if you know how to search for them and as humans you have not yet reached the level of maximizing your brain's fullest capabilities, so busy with other endeavors; it's very akin to man's preoccupation with space: so much time and money spent looking to the stars when there's so much here under your very feet yet to be explored and unlocked, that would be even more beneficial to you.

"In the meantime you have those that argue for science or against it; for creationism, or against it—they are both parts to the equation—look at me—look at yourself—there is indeed magic in the mystery and we are all equal parts of all of it."

"And what is the root of it all? What is the meaning to all of this confusion that stems from all of this free will we possess, Warlow? All of this magic, evolution, science and mystery?"

"Love."

"Argh! So much smarmy bullshit!"

"I told you the answer would be simple enough to anger you. Now, do what you know you want to do and then go on to see your friends that love you, Sookie."

His blunt cut to the chase threw her off. "That's it?"

"It will have to be, there's nothing else that I can tell you. But there is something that you must tell me, now."

"This is harder than I thought it would be," Sookie began slowly, with a sad frown on her face. Warlow waited patiently. "I don't know what your other fairy girlfriends have been like—hopefully more satisfying and fulfilling for you—"

"It's not quite about that, Sookie—this was about you, too."

"Well...I'm pretty fucked-up...about a lot of things; you have been a tremendous help to me, I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate your part in helping me to heal, but...I'm not all healed and the healing that's left for me to do is gonna have to happen the old-fashioned way: no magic; no Angels sent from Heaven; just the old-fashioned earthbound way.

"I need to get a life, Warlow; in spite of everything that's happened or may happen yet, I need to get myself a real life and I just can't do that with someone who is not even of this earth—do I make any sense to you at all?"

"Of course you do, Sookie," he smiled at her, took her hand and gave the back of it a sweet kiss. "This was only ever to go as far as you would allow. I have been honored and privileged to be invited into your life for this long; I will carry the treasure of your love with me always." He rose up from the couch and guided her up to stand with him.

"So, this is it. That feels as lame as it sounds."

Warlow gave a light chuckle. "Go on, now—there is much more love waiting for you out there—tonight with your friends and in the rest of your life, Sookie—go and claim it." He let her hand go and walked to the door.

"Wait—no hug goodbye, even?"

"All you had to do was say the words," he smiled broadly as he took her into his powerful embrace.

Sookie was overtaken by the feeling she'd felt the first time he put his arms around her and wished that she could feel his love forever. "Am I crazy?"

"The real question is—are you sure? Answer that honestly."

"Yes," she said without hesitation; Warlow nodded his approval at her.

"Never go against your truest feelings, Sookie—they haven't led you wrong in the past and I know that you will be able to rely on them in the future, but promise me."

"I promise."

Without another word Warlow took his leave and closed her front door gently behind him. Sookie's feet had been transfixed to the floor, unable to follow any direction because her brain was a mess of emotions that had effectively shut down all of her motor abilities; the finality of the sound of her door closing jump-started her limbs to action where her brain had not; even though only a few seconds had elapsed she was not surprised when she looked out of her open door and saw absolutely no sign of Warlow anywhere. She got hold of herself, grabbed her jacket and car keys up, locked up the house and raced to her car.

* * *

><p>"What took you so long? Get in here..." After a long, strong, hug Tara ushered Sookie in.<p>

"I'm so glad to see you!"

"Are you alright?"

Sookie looked around the house at all of the happy guests then back at Tara. "I am now," she smiled at her best friend.

* * *

><p>"So, where do you wanna do this? Back at your place or here?"<p>

"Here."

The party had broken up fairly early at close to one a.m. Jason had left soon after she'd gotten there to relieve Becky and Timbo, but not before he got a chance to see Bill tickling the ivories like he was front row at a Vegas lounge act; Sabeen and Antanas left soon after him to return to their cubbies at Eric's house in Shreveport. The remaining group enjoyed getting to know Zola and were happy to hear that she and Sam would be planning a wedding in the near future. Blackburn kept a low profile, and his manners, where Julian was concerned, able to fool everyone except Lafayette, who was in his own heaven at having his cousin back.

When Tara and Sookie left the drawing room only Bill, Jessica and Blackburn were left; their discussion turned inevitably to Benjamin Pope.

"Excuse us, huh guys? We have a little catching up to do..."

The other three vampires smiled as the two women left.

"C'mon..." Tara took Sookie's hand and led her upstairs to a spare bedroom. They both piled up on a splendid four-poster bed and got comfortable.

"Okay—now, what the fuck?"

Sookie laughed lightly as she gave her friend a hug, then explained what had been happening with herself since Tara had been gone, the horrible events that had happened at the Mayberry Pig Farm, the appearance of Franklin Mott's doppelganger nephew, and ended with her farewell to Warlow.

"Wow." Tara gave Sookie a long look and went to shaking her head in disbelief again. "Wow. I don't even know where to start...yes I do—Sook, you said that you need to get a life—you ever thought about leaving this place?"

"You mean, leave Bon Temps?"

"Yeah."

"You trying to get rid of me Tara Mae Thornton?"

"Yeah."

"Tara!"

"No and yes. Hear me out..." The two of them had been laying side-by-side but Tara sat up cross-legged before Sookie and took both of her hands into her own. "Look, I know you had to get used to the idea of me and Bill at first; I know you're really happy for us; I know it seems like what I'm about to suggest sounds like some self-indulgent, ridiculous shit, considering all that's going on, but I'm making it because of all the shit that's going on.

"You do need a life, Sook; a life with some happiness in it; it takes a lot for a person to step back from their own self and say, 'Hey—I think I should just be alone for a while,' cuz who want to be alone, right? And you wouldn't be—as soon as Alcide hears about this? Shit...okay?"

Sookie laughed out loud.

"But I get it. You should shore yourself back up at Holly's group; go back to work, but only if you're sure that you're ready. And after you feel one hundred percent—"

"Or as close to it as possible..."

"Yeah, as fucking close as possible—you need to give not only serious thought about what Sookie Stackhouse wants to do with her life, but make it happen after you do. Leaving this place did wonders for me, even when I was cage-fightin' in New Orleans. It was just necessary, you know?"

"I know, sweetie, that was good for you, but where am I gonna go? And do what?"

"Didn't you get a nice little bundle for watching Eric while he had his amnesia?"

"Yeah, I still have most of it, why?"

"Is it enough to go to college—out of state?"

"I'm too old to go to college, Tara..."

"You're never to old to go back to school, Sook—look at Tommy Merlotte—he's loving school in Baton Rouge..."

Well, sure he is, he's a young guy..."

"And you're a young woman."

"I don't know..." Sookie hedged, "Jason needs me, and—"

"Sook, please—Jason is doing the damn thing—he's got that, girl, I can't believe it myself, sometimes. I'm not surprised at how good he is at it, but his focus! I ain't never seen that boy go more than two days without some pu—uh, a woman—and he is just all about those kids. I hope he finds himself a real nice wife someday, if he wants one, but he's got the kids, Sook. They'd miss you like crazy, but I know Jason would understand. You need to give it some serious thought."

"But Tara, all this mess with Benjamin Pope—the whole world is unsettled."

"The fucking world is always unsettled and life manages to go on anyway, Sook. That's what I've learned; vampire...human—it don't matter—the world is still here everyday and every night and life keeps going on. You need to do the same. For you. Just for you. For once in your life. Hardest part is figuring out what you want to do. Really, Sook, I mean it. Lord knows ain't nothing going on in Bon Temps—except supe shit; hell, it wasn't this much crap going on in Belarus...Germany was interesting...hell, maybe you just want to take a nice trip somewhere—I know we could pull some strings at the Authority to have, you know, a little security detail on you, in case some crazy vampires take a notion to get stupid—that wouldn't even have been a worry before all this vigilante shit, cuz every vampire knows not to mess with you, but now..."

"Yeah, rogues and what not."

Yeah, and what not."

"Well, if I had to have security what kind of trip would that be? I might as well stay here."

"Look, live with it for a little while 'fore you just say no, huh?"

"I can do that."

"Okay. So, this Mott guy—he still here?"

"He's still here but it looks like Andy Bellefleur is still giving the guy a run for the money where Holly is concerned. Of course, I'm biased, but I know Andy loves that woman like nobody's business...I think Nicholas will throw in the towel soon."

"Well, I hope I don't ever seem him, I'll be on some straight PTSD shit."

"He seems to be a nice guy, certainly nowhere near certifiable like Franklin—he fell for Holly at first sight."

"Yeah, well he's got that shit in common with his crazy uncle. Hopefully he's not some kind of obsessive fuck. I know Holly can handle her own, but I'm gonna have to let her know that if she needs me I'll be on that shit."

"Andy was already on that shit; Nicholas doesn't know it but Andy really spared him when they had that fight at Merlotte's. And Holly ought to hurry up and make up her mind, cuz Andy's been hittin' the gym..."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah...I gotta say, he looks pretty damn good."

"Get outta here."

"Yep."

"Okay, so you gotta give me the details about Pam, girl."

Sookie looked over at the window. "Do I have time?"

"Hell yeah—and you're welcomed to stay over and go home after you get some sleep."

"Well, thanks, honey—I might just take you up on that."

Sookie thought about her lonely house: no more babies or happy teenagers; no more seeing her brother's happy face at the end of his work day—no more Warlow. She wanted to be alone but she wasn't ready to start that night, after all. She and Tara got comfortable on the bed again as she explained, in detail, how Eric finally got his Pamela back.


	131. Up To Speed

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 131 Up To Speed

* * *

><p>Several weeks had passed and Sookie's life was returning to as normal a state as it ever would; she was going to her Survivors of Rape group meetings two times a week; she still wasn't sure, however, about jumping into the fray of everyone else's thoughts by going back to work at Merlotte's.<p>

She had spent most of her time giving serious thought to what she and Tara had discussed and daydreamed about what it would be like to leave Bon Temps; to sit at a cafe on the Champs Elysees, maybe, having coffee and pastry as she people-watched behind dark glasses, unbothered by the myriad voices that might bombard her because she wouldn't understand the language; or to take a bus tour of Tuscany and enjoy way too much wine and beautiful landscapes that she had only ever seen in books and movies; she thought about her hick, country-bumpkin-self strolling through the busy streets of Manhattan, anonymous and overwhelmed, then of riding on a subway for the first time in her life.

Every scenario Sookie dared to imagine had one common element: in each one she was absolutely alone; while the idea of making any one of those scenarios come true was a little frightening, it was also little exciting, as well. As she worked to reconcile herself with the decision to remain alone she also found herself taking tentative steps toward actually planning such a trip; she assessed her finances and came to the determination, that, while she could comfortably take an extended trip out of the country she was not ready to do such a thing; she decided instead to get her feet wet by actually taking her first trip away to New York and spend two weeks there.

She spoke to no one about it but knew that as soon as she actually booked her ticket Tara would be the first person she would tell. In the meantime she had required Jason and Tara, and the few select others who had known about it, to take an oath of secrecy regarding Warlow's departure, thereby keeping Alcide conveniently out of the loop; he had his hands full protecting his pack from the threat of more vigilante attacks; she had her hands full coming back—in earnest, she reasoned within herself—to the world of the living. She felt strongly that giving in to the temptation of allowing Alcide's attentions at that point in her life would be a mistake that she really didn't want to make.

Sitting on her bed then, looking at a heap of travel brochures she had picked up at the local Triple A office, she let her thoughts linger for one hot, lascivious, guilty moment, on the Greek god-like perfection that was his handsome face and his whole body—and then physically slapped her own cheek as she laughed out loud at herself. "No...no, no, no. No," she reprimanded herself as she shook her head soberly. "No."

* * *

><p>While Sookie concentrated her efforts on trying to truly and completely heal her soul the rest of the citizens of Bon Temps forged ahead, as well.<p>

Sabeen and Antanas had returned to Minsk and were pouring over any intelligence that they could get their hands on with Trey and Sarah, aside from Sabeen's own documentation, trying to find anything useful on Benjamin Pope; The Authority had held another Town Hall meeting and was only able to assuage a minority of supernaturals with information regarding the partial arrests made in the case; Bud Dearborne and Sweetie Des Arts' arraignments and preliminary hearings were set for the following week; most of the victims found at the Mayberry Pig Farm had been autopsied and funerals were finally being scheduled, which included Luna Garza and Deputy Sheriff Roger Hunt; Jason was going to arrange and pay for Crystal Norris' funeral; Armand Sunderland, the Senator's son, had been laid to rest in Metairie.

Tuesday of that following week found Hoyt Fortenberry back at Bon Temps PD, sitting nervously in her office before Sheriff Kenya Jones; Jason stood at attention, facing Hoyt sternly from behind her.

"Hoyt, I thank you for coming in this morning," Kenya began delicately.

Hoyt nodded at her and cut his eyes at Jason and then quickly away from him; it was Jason that had called him at work that morning.

"Have you obtained the services of a lawyer yet?" Kenya asked him.

"No, Sheriff," Hoyt said sadly.

"Would you like to have a lawyer present before you talk to us this morning? Because I suggest that you get one right away."

"No." Hoyt answered her simply.

"Alright then..." Kenya stood up from her desk and motioned to Jason with a nod of her head, "come with us."

Silently, Jason went to her door, opened it and signaled for Hoyt to follow him to an interrogation room as Kenya brought up the rear.

Sitting across a table from him, Jason ever at attention and standing against a wall behind them, Kenya gave her quiet command. "Alright, Hoyt—just start at the beginning, son, and don't leave out a thing."

Several hours later, exhausted and with silent tears streaming down his face, Hoyt had finished his account and answered all of Kenya's questions as she took the report.

"Hoyt, I know we've been over this a hundred times this morning," Kenya began sympathetically, "but what you're looking at here is a charge of second degree murder—I believe you when you say that you didn't kill anyone, but you were present at several murders; you were involved in the planning of those murders; you're going to be called to testify at Bud and Sweetie's preliminary hearings. You're looking at facing your own death penalty trial going forward, son; you're looking at life in prison, at the very least.

"We all know what hangs in the balance; we all know that each and every one of you could get off if an impartial grand jury is more partial to humans than supernaturals. But that is not necessarily a given. The Feds will be here later this afternoon to question you; I really hope you've told us all that you know about Bud and Sweetie, because I'm really afraid that justice may not be served in this case. You were a part of something really horrible, Hoyt, and I think that what we're looking at is only the tip of that horror.

"Somewhere out there two of Bud and Sweetie's minions are still on the loose; they've been on the down-low, but I don't take a bit of comfort in that. Luna Garza died from the mortal effects of shape-shifting under duress and coercion—we need to know why and we need proof. I have my own suspicions, and if my suspicions are correct, Hoyt? No human in this world would be able to get behind what Bud and Sweetie were really up to, and it would be death, for sure—for all of you. Now, Deputy Stackhouse here just hauled Joe Bob in yesterday; and we _are_ going to find Ray and Tyrese, you can count on it..." Kenya gave a confident look back at Jason then turned back to Hoyt, "so I truly pray that you've told me everything that you know, Hoyt; because if you could help us to definitively answer that question of what Bud and Sweetie were really up to, you could do more than save your life—do you understand what I'm saying, Hoyt?"

"I do, Sheriff."

"Alright. The Feds will be here to question you at three o'clock—if you think of anything else before then, or after—you come to me, you hear?"

"Yes, Sheriff."

"And I strongly suggest that you get a lawyer—yesterday."

"Yes, Sheriff, I will."

"Alright, you're free to go," Kenya dismissed him.

Hoyt left them, more than dejected and not looking forward, at all, to his meeting with the Federal agents later; he hurried out of the room without even a glance at Jason.

"You on the way to Monroe?" Kenya asked Jason then.

"Yeah—I got a good lead from Joe Bob yesterday, the twisted fuck; combined with the scent I got from their masks I tracked 'em last night...they're holed up at the Kansas City Southern rail yard, in an abandoned cargo container..."

"Good work, Jason. You got proper back-up?"

"Affirmative, Boss, and Monroe PD standing by, as well."

"Great—go get 'em..."

"Yes, ma'am..."

* * *

><p>After sundown that evening there was a meeting at AVL headquarters; in attendance along with Ridley Manners and all of the delegates were Jason, Eric, Pam, Chow, Bill, Tara, Sam, Alcide, Holly, and Hadley, who was aware that she shouldn't miss another meeting and came back early from Rayne, right after her mother-in-law's funeral.<p>

"Did you leave Remy alright, dear?" Holly asked her quietly as they took their seats at the huge conference table.

"Yes, he's better, but his father is a wreck; he's using all of his bereavement time because there's a lot of little things left to see about...and Hunter has been such a comfort to his daddy and his grandpa both, you know?"

"Well, I'm sure, bless his little heart—and you and Remy, and all your folks, too."

"Thanks, Holly." Hadley looked around the table surreptitiously; she had never met any of the AVL members before and they were quite an impressive group, so foreign compared to the vampires she knew—so _ancient_...their age and wisdom emanated from them like a collective wave of energy and she found herself immediately in awe of them all. When she dared to look up and really make eye contact with the pass of her gaze around the table she was met with a look from each that was almost kind enough to be unsettling—unsettling, but welcomed, just the same. As her eyes passed further around upon those at the table she was met by the familiar smiles of the others, whom she knew well, and she was further comforted—until her eyes met Eric's. She was transported back in time to that horrible night at Queen Sophie Anne's, when he'd captured her and ripped into her throat, then drained her to near death; the night she betrayed Sookie, yet again, and her Queen, by telling Eric what Sookie was. His well-chiseled face was as frozen as a marble statue, his eyes upon her even colder; she could almost feel his death grip upon her again and she shuddered visibly in her seat, unable to break her gaze from his.

"Honey?" Holly was seated closely enough to feel the woman shiver beside her. "Hadley, honey? You alright?" Holly looked in the direction of Hadley's gaze as Hadley's gaze dropped immediately away to her hands in her lap; she saw Eric in quiet conversation with Pam, one of many about the table as they waited for the meeting to commence. "Hadley?"

Hadley, with a very definite frown upon her face, didn't understand why she felt shame instead of her own anger at him—and along with her shame, a very definite fear. "I'm okay, thanks Holly."

"Esteemed Delegates...King Northman...ladies and gentlemen, we would like to bring this meeting to order," began Ridley Manners. "The participants in this meeting have already been recorded in the minutes, however, we have a new member amongst us, representing for our Fae Friends of the Authority, Hadley Hale. I am Chancellor Ridley Manners, Miss Hale; you already know King Northman and our representatives from Shreveport and Bon Temps; for your benefit the Delegates will kindly introduce themselves."

After the introductions were made Nora spoke up.

"Hadley, we realize that you've been away tending to matters regarding a death in your family—our sincerest condolences to you."

"Thank you, Delegate Gainesborough."

"You have been brought up to speed previously by Holly Cleary?"

"I have."

"Very good. Tonight we will start with Deputy Sheriff Jason Stackhouse," Nora directed her warm smile at Jason.

"Thank you, Delegate Gainesborough. Good evening, everybody. Well, here's the latest: Bud Dearborne and Sweetie Des Arts will both be having their preliminary hearings tomorrow morning; there is more than enough evidence for the judge to take this case to a Grand Jury on charges of first degree murder; of course, our fear is that the Grand Jury may not be fair in their judgment of this case, especially since we had to destroy the most damning and irrefutable evidence against them.

"However, I have tracked down the surviving three members of the Obamas and they are currently behind bars at Bon Temps PD; there is one other man, Hoyt Fortenberry, who will be called to give his testimony tomorrow and faces charges, himself, in this case; of these four men I hope to garner the appropriate evidence against Dearborne and Des Arts to prove to the Grand Jury what we all already know—that Dearborne and Des Arts were planning to use shape-shifters to impersonate high-ranking officials, government and otherwise, to turn the world against all supernaturals and start the ultimate race war."

"And how do you plan to do that, Deputy Stackhouse?" Manners asked him then.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Fortenberry is holding out on me—he felt guilty enough to come to me and tell me of his involvement with the Obamas, and scared enough of Bud Dearborne to leave town. Of course I told him that leaving town was absolutely no option. An official report was taken from him by my boss this morning; he met with the Feds this afternoon; I understand that he's finally obtained himself a lawyer; I'm convinced that he knows much more than he's told any of us so far, and I intend to get it out of him. I'm fairly sure that one of the Obamas behind bars is ready to break, as well. They think they know fear—they haven't seen me at my best, yet."

Across the table Jessica's sad eyes traveled from Jason to Bill and Tara and then down at the table as she thought of Hoyt and what a sad state his life had come to.

"Be careful Jason..." said Eric, "in the tactics you might use to cull from these scumbags the information that you need—you don't want any unnecessary accusations to come back and bite you in the ass, hmm?"

"I hear you, King Northman—I'll be on point," Jason assured them all.

"Alright, thank you, Deputy Stackhouse—moving on..." Manners began after he gave his appreciative nod at Jason, "during our accelerated activities these past few evenings, none of the Delegates, or the other teams assembled to investigate our Continental territories, have seen any evidence of the fry rooms intimated by Benjamin Pope as being in existence; our comrades in Belarus have garnered no leads to follow on Pope's current whereabouts—he has simply dropped out of sight; there has been no chatter here or abroad; I'm sure that everyone is waiting to see what happens with the case against the vigilantes and how best to twist whatever the eventual outcome may be to their own advantage.

"The President wants a meeting. This business with Secretary Dowling, and finding out who—or what—it was that impersonated him is now our utmost priority, second of course, to Benjamin Pope. Since the vigilante problem began here he wants you in on that meeting, King Northman. So...this coming Friday, a special envoy consisting of you and Chow Lin; Delegates Olesky and Daar; and Bill Compton and Tara Thornton, will accompany me to meet with him. One of the many things on the agenda to be discussed will be the replacement of all current vampire employees serving in U.S. Government—replacements that will be hand-picked by us. Bill and Tara..."

"Yes, Chancellor Manners?" they asked in unison.

"You will both be at the head of recruitment efforts and will remain in Washington until we are sure that the threat to national security has been eliminated."

Bill and Tara both nodded their solemn acceptance at the Chancellor.

"Very good. Well, unless anyone has any other business to address..." Manners looked around the table, "nothing? Then this meeting is adjourned."

Everyone rose up from the table; Hadley made her way around to meet the Chancellor and each Delegate personally and then planned to make her hasty retreat; she had a moment with Jason and then Sam and Alcide, then said her goodbye to Holly; she made it out of the conference room and down the hall leading to the elevator, which would deposit her in a garage where a driver was waiting to blindfold her and drive her home. Suddenly she felt a presence behind her. She froze in her steps, unable to move or even look to see who it was. But she knew who it was.

"Oh...come now, Hadley, don't be like that..." His voice was like a caress upon the back of her neck. "Bygones and all of that, hmm? We're on the same side now, after all."

Still Hadley was unable to move or speak.

"Hadley...Hadley...Hadley...you delectable little morsel..." he growled at her.

His cold hands were upon her shoulders; so cold, even through the sweater modestly covering the top of her lovely, haltered cotton sundress; hands which were turning her gently to face him.

Eric shook his head at her in reprimand as he unbuttoned her sweater fully to reveal the voluptuousness hidden underneath it. "I remember these..." he sighed as he eyed her breasts with great appreciation, then looked deeply into her eyes. "You should never hide these from the world, Hadley."

Somehow Hadley managed to find her tongue. "Get your hands off of me."

"Well...that wasn't very convincing—try again," he coaxed her.

"You're trying to glamour me, aren't you? What do you want from me?" she asked him fearfully.

"No...I'm not; I want you...to calm the fuck down, Hadley. What happened between us before is in the past—that's all I wanted to say. Okay? Hmm?"

"O...okay."

"Good girl. Goodnight, then," he smiled at her and let her go, then pushed to down button on the elevator, which opened immediately.

"Goodnight..." Hadley managed, almost inaudibly to her own ears; as she rushed in and away from him, his amused little chuckle followed her—haunted her—even after the elevator doors closed.


	132. The Short List

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 132 The Short List

* * *

><p>The next morning, as Bud Dearborne paced his cell in pain and agitation, Ray Jordan, Tyrese Gill and Joe Bob Welch listened quietly to his tortured, venomous tirade from their shared cell next to him.<p>

"Motherfuckers...I don't give one fuck about this Goddamn hearing—ain't nobody throwin' my dyin' ass into no prison...and I'm not dyin' in this rat-fuck hellhole, either..."

"What you gon do, Bud?" Joe Bob dared to ask him in a whisper.

Bud grimaced as he looked beyond his cell doors for the long shadows of any guards that may have been standing about nearby and couldn't make out any. "Sweetie's got money..." he whispered back, "...you got people...make them two facts come together and we can bust the fuck out of here; I know this place like the back of my hand; I know the shift changes and who's still fucking off and when—gettin' outta here will be a piece of cake—the problem for _you_ fucks will be gettin' gone and stayin' gone; you get to the right people, hell, they'll hail you as heroes and be happy to harbor you...motherfuckers everywhere are tired of all this supe shit..." he grumbled at them.

"Well, hell, Bud, that's what we thought we was doin'!" Tyrese complained at him, "We covered our asses like motherfuckers, man—I don't know how Jason Stackhouse fuckin' found us!"

"Well, I don't know, either, asshole, but this'll be your last time to get it right; cuz he's damn sure gonna find me—but damn sure not alive...and Sweetie is waitin' for me..."

The three men in the next cell looked at each other with grim faces; they had never heard it spoken to officially, but the rumor was that Bud and Sweetie had made a death pact and had vowed to kill themselves if they were ever apprehended.

"What you sayin', Bud?" Ray asked him then.

"I'm sayin', shit-for-brains, get on the horn and get word out to help get us sprung the fuck outta here—yesterday..."

"I can call—"

"Shut up, asshole!" he cut Joe Bob off with a snarl. "Just make it happen!" Bud had a spasm of pain and clutched at his backside.

"Bud? Bud?" Tyrese called out to him in alarm.

"Be...fore...Mon...ah...fuck..." he gasped in agony through gritted teeth at them as he slid down to the floor slowly in great pain.

"Gotcha, Boss, gotcha..." Joe Bob reassured the man as he drew his buddies into a huddle.

* * *

><p>"Mister President—it is an honor, sir," said the distinguished-looking vampire as he shook the man's hand.<p>

"Thank you, Chancellor—thank you all. Please...take your seats."

It was sundown on a Friday night in the Capitol, and Manners' special envoy consisting of Eric Northman, Chow Lin, Bill Compton, Tara Thornton, Delegates Borys Olesky and Jhoro Daar were in attendance with the President of the United States in a private bunker several levels beneath the ground floor of the White House.

Everyone in the room was aware that the President's full Cabinet was not at all in attendance; only one face was familiar to them—the assistant to his press secretary, who had been as familiar a face on television as his superior; the other two members were completely unknown to Ridley and the other delegates, who knew well the American political landscape and had made it their business to stay abreast of all of the players on the field. Ridley managed to ignore the uneasy stares of the others as they waited for the President to settle himself behind a classic, yet very modest mahogany desk. The whole room was windowless and sparsely appointed, but the two simple, worn leather couches and the shabby wing chair across from them in a seating area in the far corner indicated that the room had been used often.

"Thank you all, again, for your prompt response and all of your efforts, thus far, regarding this matter—to say that it's appreciated is more than an understatement."

"Of course, Sir." Ridley answered him.

An amused yet sympathetic little grin broke across the Commander-in-Chief's face as he nodded at each member of the group. "I...know what you're all thinking—where the hell is everybody else, right?"

Each member of the group displayed some form or other of silent, uneasy acknowledgment as they looked upon the three cabinet members in the room.

"Well...let me tell you—and you might be amazed, or you might not—but there are quite a few things that I'm supposed to be privy to—and am not. There are only a _very _select few people that I trust implicitly in this White House—and the people here in this room right now are those very special few, know that.

"Now, I've been following this situation, long before this obvious breach with Secretary Dowling; before Octavian Valerius—of course, you know that I mean since Russell Edgington. The swift manner in which you dealt with him, and then Valerius—let me just say, my hat's off to you all—the world owes you a great debt of gratitude; and I know that, now, along with my own very few comrades that you see before you...well, I can now add each one of you to the short list—a little longer now..." he smiled at them all sincerely, "of the people I not only feel that I can entrust my life to, but to every _being_ in this country.

"Now, contrary to popular belief, I don't believe that my friends across the aisle are responsible for every ill in this country, even though they spin even this situation in every twisted way possible against me; like I said—I've studied this situation; in my dealings with my detractors, as with your very disgruntled own, I find myself ever in a 'damned-if-I-do-damned-if-don't' conundrum; I learned a hard lesson a long time ago that you just can't please everybody—ever...but it doesn't mean that you don't, necessarily, stop trying—for those that really _want _it? There's always a happy medium."

Ridley Manners let out a deep and empathetic sigh of agreement at the President's words.

"See, I knew we were on the same page," the President smiled at them all. "Look, we've been fighting the same fight—you've got people on your side, and I've got people on my side that make us feel like this is a losing battle. But you see, I don't think that it is. It's unfortunate but it's also the way of the world—sadly, but more often than not it takes a lot of spilled blood to right the most egregious wrongs. But I'm not telling any of you anything that you don't already know. Except this. For all that needs to be done, in this matter and others—I don't expect to come out of it unscathed, myself. My views regarding this situation are wildly unpopular here in Washington; it's been made quite clear to me that they can take me down whenever they want to. But my fears are not for myself. You're not here for me, you're here for the people that _do_ believe that every _being _on this planet is entitled to co-exist here in peace. I may not be the one to ever see it with my own eyes, but I wholeheartedly believe that can become a reality; and that there are more people than not who share that view, and know better than all of the spin that's constantly being manufactured—almost criminally so—to try and make people believe otherwise.

"Now, I don't know what you've heard from anyone else, but I believe that _all_ supernaturals should be protected under the rights of the U.S. Constitution, and am in staunch agreement that the Vampire Rights Amendment needs to be passed; I've been testing the waters...pulling "Bush Moves" so to speak," he chuckled at them as he shook his head at himself, "passing a few bills I've had every Constitutional right to pass, and it has pissed off some folks, let me tell you," the President smiled in amusement; he looked up at the group then in all seriousness. "I made a lot of promises—many that I haven't been able to honor, and I am deeply ashamed about that; there are a host of ills running rampant in our country right now and I'm running out of time; if I don't accomplish anything else before I leave office I want to accomplish this—to find whomever it is that is now posing the biggest threat, to not just the VRA movement here in America, but to every being that desires _not_ to see a race war inflicted upon the planet that has the capacity to end civilization as we know it."

All of the vampires in the room silently made their sympathy known to the President in one form or another.

"So...I just wanted to get that out there. I've done enough talking—you have news for me regarding your own investigation and surely you must have some questions..."

"Have you heard anything, Mister President, of the alleged 'Florida Rooms'? Ever? In any capacity?" Manners asked him then.

"I have not, Chancellor Manners—April? Wilson? Beck?" he turned and asked of the three sitting behind him.

"Nothing, Mister President, and we've put our best people on it—" the woman named April responded to him before she looked her regret at the vampires.

"Had Secretary Dowling displayed any form of distress to you in your last dealings with him? Did he appear to be under any duress? Or seem at all not like himself, Mister President?" Jhoro Daar asked him.

"I had several meetings with him personally, immediately after the events at Ashland, and again after the Mayberry incident; I don't recall feeling anything out of the ordinary about him; all of my other correspondences with him had been by secure e-mail..." the President answered her.

"His family has been canvassed, as you can well-imagine..." the man called Beck interjected delicately, "they reported that they noticed nothing out of the ordinary, either, in the months leading up to the point that we discovered his actual death..."

"Have there been any new developments regarding this Pope fella, Chancellor Manners?" the President asked him then.

"I'm sorry to say that we have hit a wall there, Mister President—it's as if he's fallen off the face of the earth—which is possible—and not..." Manners said then with a weary shake of his head.

The President looked a question at him.

"I'm sorry, please pardon my crypticity—if you don't know already, Mister President, there are other dimensions that exist on earth, none where he would be welcomed or that he has breached, our intelligence tells us—and believe me, we've checked—that we had to rule out as to places of possible escape; maybe he's simply gone to ground in some remote region and for a time, but I doubt that—he's surely watching...and waiting...and enjoying his manipulation of our fears."

The President still looked confused.

"I shall explain more about that, then, at your convenience—after this meeting, most assuredly, if you wish."

"Yes...I would appreciate that, Chancellor Manners."

"We are desperately trying to discover anything of his origins," Borys Olesky informed the President then. "Valerius left many written personal historical accounts of various times throughout his existence, but nothing of this vampire, 'Benjamin Pope', neither when he met or made him; absolutely nothing."

"One of the most ancient among us assisted us in vanquishing Octavian Valerius, Mister President; she is working with us again to help root out and eliminate the threat of his rogue progeny," said Jhoro Daar.

"Thank you, Chancellor...Delegates. King Northman; Miss Thornton; Mister Lin; Mister Compton—every government and privately-employed vampire has been released from their Congressional duties; you will be given their records, dossiers containing everything that we knew about them, which, as detailed as they may be might not be much, actually. They will not all be replaced—they weren't all essential to begin with. You already know that I'd like you all to thoroughly vet their replacements and have them overseen by Miss Thornton and Mister Compton. Do you accept the assignment?"

"I speak for us all, Mister President, and say that we are most honored to be called into your service," Eric answered him.

"Thank you, so much. Alright, let's get to it then, huh? We've had a small team working night and day to prepare these materials for you..." the President began as the three cabinet members went to a small bookcase at the wall; the woman pulled several thin tomes from it in a specific sequence and the case slid apart in the middle to reveal another room; she and the two men went in and then returned, wheeling out office carts brimming with files. "This is a small space, but effective—and quite conducive to your needs should you wish to avail yourselves of it in during daylight hours; my team will show you the other secret ingress and egress points to this room, and I trust that any materials you may find necessary to remove will be secured; when you're done with any documents, please do return them, as they will fall under our purview for destruction."

"Understood, Sir," Ridley assured him.

"Great—let's get to work, huh?" the President smiled at them all. "King Northman, what's the latest from Bon Temps?"

* * *

><p>"What? What?"<p>

"It's all arranged Sweetie, I can't say no more...just be ready, cuz aunt Jane is coming tomorrow; she ain't real happy 'bout all this, but she still loves you, honey—that's what she said to say."

It was during visiting hours on Saturday morning that Sweetie Des Arts found herself sitting across the small window and on the phone with her friend, Barb, who had just delivered her and Bud's code word letting Sweetie know that Bud was going to break her out of jail; they would rendezvous at her house in Shreveport for the last time and then take their lives, a plan they had discussed in detail, numerous times, especially after they had made the video of Luna Garza.

"Uh...honey—aunt Jane is too sick to get here, ain't she?" Sweetie asked her in disbelief.

"Huh?" Barb looked vapidly back at her.

Sweetie came back to herself as she realized that her cousin didn't know shit or understand at all the message that she had just delivered; Bud was coming for her and meant to do so before the hearing. "Thank you, honey, I really appreciate you comin' an all..." Sweetie rose from her chair in a panic and signaled the guard that she was ready to leave.

"Sweetie? Honey? We got fifteen more minutes..." Barb rose up from her own chair, a confused look on her face. "Sweetie?" she called after her again, but Sweetie was already on the other side of the security door and fast disappearing from her sight.


	133. Shit? Meet Fan

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 133 Shit? Meet Fan

* * *

><p>By six-thirty on Monday morning all hell had broken loose at Bon Temps PD.<p>

Sheriff Kenya Jones had just reported in for work; her only focus that morning was on making sure that all preparations were set for Bud Dearborne's transport to court and the preliminary hearing that would follow at nine that morning; as she headed past Rosie Parker's switchboard and headed to lock-up to check on Bud she was stopped by Deputy Kevin Ellis; the stilted, nervous look on his face as he tried to fix his lips to speak to her more than announced that there was a problem.

"Okay, Kevin—out with it..." she ordered him as she stopped and stood arms akimbo before him.

Kevin took a deep breath as he closed eyes; still holding it when he opened them he said, "Sheriff, Bud ain't down there—he broke out sometime earlier this morning, him and Joe Bob, Ray and Tyrese, between shift changes—they're gone, Boss..." he said in a rush and then exhaled with a reprimanding shake of his head at his own self.

"Between shift changes? And I'm just now hearing about this?" Kevin shot his guilty gaze down at the floor.

"Which means you just found out yourself..Goddammit, Kevin!"

"There's more, boss..."

"Of course there is," she sighed her disgust at him, "...well? Just spit it out, already, man..."

"Sweetie Des Arts has escaped, as well—it was a real co-ordinated operation, Boss..."

"And they've all been on the loose at least four hours already..."

"Well, uh, yes, ma'am..."

The other deputies had amassed around the pair, all showing visible shame at their collective blunder but ready to act; Kenya turned away from Kevin to face them all.

"Alright people—you know what to do—get APB's out on 'em—yesterday..." several deputies scurried away. "Kevin—" she turned back to face him.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Call the DA's office, I'll call the FBI—they're gonna have my ass for this...Rosie—"

"I'm on it..." Kevin rushed away.

Rosie shot up from her station at attention. "Yes, Sheriff?"

"Raise Judge Clements, would you please?"

"Right away, Sheriff!"

Kenya turned to head to her office, and looked around the station, abuzz then with the frenzied activities of her deputies; seconds later she saw Jason Stackhouse come walking through the chaos, a look of concern and confusion on his face as he rushed over to her.

"What the heck is goin' on, Boss?"

"Jason—Bud broke himself and the boys out of here about four hours ago—Sweetie, too—I just found out...I don't even have enough words to describe how fucked—"

"Look, calm yourself, sweetheart—," he said as he came closer into her, his voice low and conspiratorial, "we'll find them—_I'll _find them..." he cocked and eyebrow at her and gave her a knowing look.

"The FBI...the press—they're gonna eat us alive, Jason...this is just beyond—"

"Kenya? Honey? First thing's first, huh? Fuck the FBI, fuck the press—we made a mistake—we're gonna fix it. Huh, Boss? Come on, now, pull it together..."

Kenya gave him an apprehensive nod. "Sure, Jason...first thing's first..." She turned back to face everyone in the station. "Alright people! Roll call in fifteen!" she announced loudly as she marched to her office to make her own difficult phone calls.

* * *

><p>Earlier that morning the fugitives regrouped when the reached Shreveport. Joe Bob, Ray and Tyrese had each planned to go their separate ways when the five of them got to Sweetie's house, where cars were waiting for them; each of them looked like total pieces of shit, but their engines were in top-notch order and had plates to go with their forged ID's.<p>

"Well, this is it, boys," Bud began as he came away from the living room window for the hundredth time since they'd arrived at her house, looking for any sign of trouble; he went to Sweetie and put his arm about her, more for support than as a sign of affection. "Good luck to you—I know those jerk-off's...they're not gonna miss us until Kenya gets to the station—now get the fuck on outta here," Bud ordered them gruffly, as he grimaced through a spasm of pain.

"Yeah, this is it," Joe Bob spoke up first. None of the men had discussed their plans with one another about where they were headed, in case anyone got caught. Joe Bob was headed for Mexico and had a cousin in Houston, Texas, waiting for him to drive him over the border. Ray was determined to get to Oklahoma and his older brother, having his own trouble with the Law, who told him he that they could both get lost real nice together, and with jobs to boot, in Alaska. Tyrese's people were originally from Belize; he had only ever been there once as a child with his late mother, but he had an aunt there who had told him to come to her, no matter what his trouble was.

Each of the men, however, were worried for Sweetie, who was standing next to Bud in the possessive embrace of his arm about her shoulder. They could tell that she still cared about him and was genuinely worried for him, but the ride to Shreveport had been understandably quiet, tense and strange; the look on her face then was the same as it had been in the car—uneasy, scared, and not as resolute and unwavering as Bud's.

"You okay, Sweetie?" Ray dared to ask her then, for Sweetie had a look on her face then like she wished that she was anywhere other than where she was, facing what she was about to face with Bud.

"What the fuck do you mean, is she alright, you ass-turd? All of ya—go handle yours and get the fuck on outta here! NOW!" Bud yelled at them. "NOW! Get the fuck out!" He took a step toward them, his anger eclipsing his pain enough to allow him to do so menacingly.

"Alright, alright, I didn't mean nothin' Bud, we're out. Bye, Sweetie," Ray said and then rushed on out to his waiting jalopy.

Tyrese and Ray gave the pair their last despairing looks of goodbye and left them silently.

The crunch of gravel as the cars headed out and then the sound of them speeding away punctuated Sweetie's reality and pronounced her fate with Bud, which she no longer wanted to honor. She watched Bud as he stood at the window, watching for the cars to disappear from his sight; when they finally were he turned to face her.

"You got some kind of problem, Sweetie?" His tone was not kind.

Sweetie started to open her mouth but thought better of it; why admit that she wanted to run, screaming, away from him? He was sick; weak; she could escape when he fell asleep and turn herself in, maybe get some leniency for co-operating with the police and turning him in; she didn't want to die. She hated supes with all of her heart, and jail was not a happy prospect—but dying with Bud was an even less happy prospect.

"No, Bud, I'm just still in shock, I guess," she managed a nervous smile at him.

"Well, get your shocked ass in the kitchen and make us something to eat, I'm starving—it's gonna be our last meal, so make it something good," he grumbled at her.

"Sure, Bud. So...when _are_ we gonna...you know?"

"I imagine they'll figure we came here; when those rat bastards swarm the place, that's when we do it, Sweetie. I'm sure it will be tonight. So go on—get..." As he walked over and pushed her toward the kitchen he pulled his old service revolver out from under his belt in the back of his pants; to Sweetie's consternation Bud plopped down heavily in a chair at the kitchen table to watch her every move, as he rested his gun on his thigh within the firm grip of his hand.

* * *

><p>Back in Bon Temps roll call was a short affair; all of the deputies had their orders and were waiting for the fallout to hit full-force; Judge Clements had already called and ripped Kenya a new one over the phone; the FBI was on the way, and the first reporters were already gathering outside the station house preparing for their live reports to air on the seven a.m. news.<p>

"Oh, God, here we go..." Kenya sighed heavily as she stood with Jason looking through the double doors of the station at the reporters and news vans.

"It'll be okay...I don't think they're there, but while we wait to get confirmation back from the pig farm I think I should just follow the trail from the cell, Kenya..." Jason suggested.

"You still want to check out Sweetie's place alone?"

"Yeah—we need to rule those two places out, huh?"

"Yes, you're right..."

"I'll worry about the other three later..."

"I've got men checking out their families, and Sweetie's cousin that came to visit her before she was sprung."

"Good."

"I'll have men standing by near Shreveport in case you find them there—but don't move on them, Jason, until you contact me and we get Shreveport PD on the horn..."

"I know, I know—and if they're not there, well, I'll sniff them out, Kenya, you know I will..."

"Be careful, Jason, along with everything else, and more than the investigation, I don't want you to jeopardize yourself..."

"I got this, Boss—you go out there and handle them—" Jason nodded at the reporters heading for the doors, "I know you got _that_." He gave her a wink, a smile and a reassuring kiss to her cheek before he left for the jail cells to begin his search.

It had been a simple search; Bud had obviously waited for the two a.m. shift change and headed out the back entrance of the station, to the parking lot and away and that's where the scent went cold. The question was how he liberated himself from his cell, or who was it that helped him? Certainly none of the deputies, not even the most sympathetic ones, of which there were many, because they just couldn't believe their old boss had taken such a turn. No, somebody got past the lax deputies, opened up the cell and waltzed him right out; he knew that he didn't need to check Sweetie's cell—Bud wouldn't have risked going to get her personally; no, they met up somewhere, the five of them, and headed out together to yet another rendezvous point, Jason was sure of it.

But just where in hell in all of Louisiana had that been? It wouldn't have been anywhere in Bon Temps. A four hour lead; hell, they could be anywhere, on planes with forged ID or passports headed out of the country; well, maybe Joe Bob,Tyrese and Ray, but Bud was too sick to not be noticed on some long flight away...

Jason didn't know why, but he was certain that they had not gone back to Delia Dearborne's pig farm, they were just checking on principle; he figured that he might as well go on out to Sweetie's place and rule that out, as well.

He was in Shreveport not too far from Sweetie's house when he got Kenya's call.

"Pig farm is a no go, Jason..."

"How you holding up, Boss?"

"Not well—and I've got to go—the DA and the FBI are here—what's your twenty?"

"About ten minutes away from Sweetie's place—it's pretty secluded out there, I'll be able to investigate properly and then get back to you as soon I know anything..."

Kenya knew that he meant when would be able to change into his panther form and do so in peace. "Like I said, Jason, be careful—it's broad daylight and—"

"I hear you, Boss," he said with a smile in his voice, "I'll be careful."

"Alright—I'll be waiting."

"Affirmative." They hung up with each other. Jason started eyeballing offshoots from the main road and saw one that led to a little copse that would hide is cruiser sufficiently; he rolled through slowly, found the perfect spot to park and then got out; he removed his uniform and placed it and his gun under the passenger seat safely out of sight; he transformed and took off through the woods for Sweetie Des Arts' house.

* * *

><p>Bud and Sweetie and had long had their meal of chicken fried steak, grits and eggs, and were resting in Sweetie's bedroom. Well, Bud was resting; Sweetie was handcuffed to the brass bed, and not for the reason they had ever been used for during their past romps in her bed.<p>

"Bud? Bud, why are you doing this? Bud?" she complained at him as she yanked at the brass rail in futility.

"Would you just shut your fucking yap? Goddamn it, Sweetie, I just want to get a little sleep!" he yelled at her.

"Well, what the hell for? You're gonna be takin' your dirt nap any time now, so what the fuck does a sleep mean now?" she asked him then, too angry at that moment to be afraid anymore

"I'll tell you what it means—it means you'll be taking yours first if you don't shut the fuck up! Aw..." he got up from the bed in disgust and shot her a dirty look, " fuck this...say one more word and I'll tape your mouth shut, do you understand me?" He didn't wait for her answer; he left and went to the living room to stretch out on the couch, daring her silently to disobey him; Sweetie didn't.

Before he went to the couch he went to the window, to look out yet again for any sign of activity; what he did see surprised the fuck out of him and then caused a ball of tension to shoot to his chest and radiate outward, settling mainly in a knot of anger at the base of his spine, and his cranium, which felt suddenly like a volcano ready to blow.

"Well, fuck me in the ass and call me Shirley..." he said out loud in amazement and disgust.

Jason spotted Bud then, shooting daggers at him through the window at him with his eyes.

"Bud!"

"You son-of-a-bitch—you're one of those fuckers, too...Goddammit!" he yelled at Jason through the closed window.

"Bud? Who are you talkin' to?" Sweetie called frantically from the bedroom.

"Shut up, Sweetie!"

"Bud, come out of there now, this is over."

Bud went to the door and cracked it, a hateful, sardonic grin on his face. "Whatcha gonna do, Jason, haul me in by your dick?"

"I don't need clothes—or a gun—to haul you back into custody, Bud," Jason warned him, more than unfazed, either by Bud's venom or his own nakedness.

"Can't no real man get a fair trial in this world no more, and don't you try to stand there and tell me anything different, Stackhouse...you fucking traitor..."

"Look Bud, my cause was theirs before I became one of them, you asshole..."

"Yeah, right..."

"That ain't no here or there right now, Bud, you need to surrender..."

"Yeah? To who, huh? I don't see Shreveport PD out here," he smirked at Jason.

"They're on the way, Bud, and Bon Temps PD, with them. It's over."

Jason had caught Bud's scent and raced back to his cruiser to call it in, then came back to see if he could try and talk some sense into the man. "Look, Bud, I'm trying to do you a favor, here... you got five minutes, if you're lucky, to end this thing peacefully..."

"The only peace I'm ever gonna know is when I'm dead—I say when this is over, Stackhouse, and it's not over until the real police get here, you backwoods fuck-up from hell, and I reveal to them what you are on my dying breath!"

"Officer? Officer! I'm in the back room! I'm Sweetie Des Arts and I'll tell you everything! He's gonna kill me! Off—" Jason heard the far off voice and then its end as Bud angrily slammed the door shut and locked it; he changed into his panther form and raced around the back of the little house, where he could hear violent commotion taking place inside.

"You fucking BITCH!" Bud roared at Sweetie.

"Bud! No!" she screamed as he advanced upon her.

"So you're a traitor, too, huh? You got no spine, Sweetie, no backbone, at all..."

"This was all your idea, Bud...I hate supes as much as the next person, but my reasons for doing what I did wasn't ever supposed to include murder!, you sick fuck!"

"You fucking, liar, you enjoyed every minute of the shit until you got caught!"

"I don't give a shit anymore, Bud, but just because you're dyin' don't mean that I want to—or have to!"

"Oh, but it does, Sweetie—we made a deal—or did you ever love me, at all?"

"Love? You don't love me, Bud Dearborne, not if you can do this to me—but you killed your own wife, so what the fuck was I thinking?" she asked herself in a near whisper as she realized there was no hope for her.

"Oh, I loved you Sweetie; you were the best thing that ever happened to me in a long, long time...but you're just like every-damn-body else, bitch, and you're just one big, fat, disappointment to me, you coward."

Bud's last hurtful words made Sweetie's face crumble as tears came to her eyes.

"Turn me in, will you? I think..." Bud un-cuffed her from the bed and yanked her up into a choke hold, "not."

Sweetie felt the cold metal of the butt of his gun at her temple.

Outside and under the bedroom window Jason paced the ground anxiously; he needed to wait for back-up, but Bud was going to kill the woman; suddenly he could hear the far off sounds of sirens, but they would still be too late to save Sweetie.

"I had planned on this going a lot differently, Sweetie, but I'm ready now, and I'm tired of this pain..." Just then they both heard the sound of sirens growing closer, as well.

"Bud...please..." she whimpered at him.

"No, Sweetie, I'm done...I'm—"

They both heard the loud crash of breaking glass as Jason leaped at the window and came bursting through it into the room.

"Argh!" Sweetie screamed, not believing what her eyes were seeing as the sleek black panther sailed into the room, surprising Bud to the point that he and Sweetie fell back upon the bed together, both Sweetie and his gun locked in Bud's firm hold.

"No, Jason—you can't save her—you can't stop me..." Bud hissed at the cat.

Sweetie's horror and confusion were complete until Jason transformed into himself. "Bud! Let her go!"

Bud said nothing as he smiled triumphantly at Jason; he pulled the trigger and shot Sweetie in the head, then quickly stuck the gun in his mouth and blew his own brains out.


	134. Inamorato

I own nothing.

True Blood S4-S5

Chapter 134 Inamorato

* * *

><p>At Tabah Tosti, in Shashen'Ka's office, all eyes had been glued to the television as the vampires assembled watched the world news; they were then in the wee hours of morning where their time before going to ground over-lapped briefly with the waking hours of their comrades in America. During the report Sarah's eyes had been trained on Jason, who had stood behind Sheriff Jones stoically all throughout the frenzied press conference; as the report concluded Shashen'Ka picked up her cell phone and dialed Tara.<p>

"Have you seen it, my friend?"

"Shashen'Ka! Girl...it's the only thing on TV over here..."

"How are things going in Washington?"

"We only just got started here—has Sabeen been able to find out anything further about Pope?"

"No...there's nothing...absolutely nothing about him in any of Valerius' writings—and he was pompous enough that he left a wealth of written documentation, believe me; we've all poured over everything, again and again—there's nothing that even _hints_ at his existence...Sarah and Trey will be heading back to Bakirköy tomorrow night—there are Ancients there that can be canvassed...have you talked to Jason Stackhouse since all of this has happened?"

"Only briefly—as you can see he's had his hands full with the press..."

As Shashen'Ka and Tara conversed over the phone the others in the room cast their worried eyes at each other.

"We should go tonight, Trey..." Sarah said then, regarding the return trip to Bakirköy.

"No, Sarah," Sabeen answered before Trey could, "we stick to our plans, dear—and the plan is for tomorrow evening; secure transport is difficult enough to arrange these days without disrupting schedules at the last minute, hmm?" She smiled her directive firmly at the distraught young one.

"Yes, I know that you're right..." Sarah sighed at her.

"Let's take a walk, Sarah..." Trey suggested then, feeling as out-of-sorts as Sarah did. "I heard from Tara and Bill that the former magister puts on quite a show at Yanka Kupala, and I could use a laugh right about now."

Victor gave a silent knowing smirk at the pair; Sabeen and Antanas each let out audible chuckles; Shashen'Ka had concluded her conversation with Tara by then. "Be mindful of the hour, young ones, hmm?" she cautioned them delicately, for it would be dawn soon.

"And of Yuriya Kosciuszko—he is a trickster," Sabeen warned them.

"We will, yo," Trey assured them all respectfully as he took Sarah's hand and led her away.

* * *

><p>"It's all so crazy, Trey, and I feel like we've just run out of time..." Sarah lamented as they strolled hand-in-hand through the park, "...we can't raise Benjamin Pope and this situation in Bon Temps? It plays right into his hands! Bud Dearborne's trial would have set a precedent—"<p>

"Would it have, Sarah? Really? I'm sorry, but I was with Jason Stackhouse when he said he didn't think the Supernaturals really had a fair shot at trial from the humans, no matter what crimes the Obamas committed—and with no evidence to support our claims? We don't have anything...even with Secretary Dowling's murder, we have nothing!"

"But they only just got started with their investigation, Trey...we can't just give up..."

"It's about self-preservation, Sarah; humans can only be counted on to do what they do best—destroy those they don't feel worthy of existing—it's the only time they ever truly band together; trying to assimilate is pointless."

"All the more reason we can't just give up, now, Trey! It's about our self-preservation, too!"

"I wish I had been made when vampires did live in the shadows," Trey harrumphed as he extricated his hand from Sarah's and advanced angrily away from her.

"What are you saying? Trey?"

"He's saying that the struggle is wearisome..." came a voice from out of nowhere.

"Kosciuszko..." Sarah whispered at the cold night.

Yuriya Kosciuszko came out the shadows then and revealed himself. "Yes."

Trey broke out of his foul mood and into vampire speed as he went to Sarah and pushed her behind him to face off with the Ancient.

"I mean neither of you any harm, Trey Horne," Kosciuszko assured them calmly.

"What do you want?"

"What do _you_ want? You came here for...laughs, I believe you said?"

"You've been spying on us?"

"I've been keeping _abreast_ of things, I would be more inclined to say."

"Oh? On just your own behalf or the other Ancients, as well?" Sarah dared to ask him, unable to check her angry tone.

"You must know that there are many interested parties watching this entire ordeal play out; you could say that I represent the Ancients, here, at least."

"Okay, you know our shit, and probably some other useful things, besides—care to drop some knowledge?" Trey asked him then with a snarl on his face.

"I can do that. You may unhand her, Mr. Horne, and abandon your defensive stance—I promise that I mean you no harm," Kosciuszko reiterated.

Trey didn't budge until Sarah came from behind him and gave him her nod of okay.

"Alright, Magister Kosciuszko, we're listening."

Kosciuszko seemed moved that Sarah acknowledged his former position and gave her a small nod of his appreciation. "America is ever young—and so misguided. Your AVL continues on a campaign that even they know remains futile. But, it is begun, so they must forge ahead. Is it a noble venture? Surely. Is success even possible? Not likely.

"The AVL has proven once and for all, and most-importantly to our disgruntled and militant brethren, that Ancients are not necessarily for killing; while the WVF is sympathetic to the American cause, it must not be lost upon you that they continue to...hang back—in the cut—as you say in these modern times?" He looked pointedly at Trey. "And the European Ancients in particular, for we have struck a bargain with your nemesis."

"And what bargain is that?" Trey asked him.

"A simple one—that he will not lead our brothers and sisters against us and we will not interfere with him in his endeavors."

"So you, what? Just sit back and watch the mayhem? Enjoy the carnage? The demise of civilization as we know it?" Sarah gasped her indignance at him.

"I speak for most when I say that this was not our endeavor, Mrs. Newlin; we were quite fine with the status quo, living in the shadows as myth and in the artistic realm of the collective human imagination," again, he looked pointedly at Trey, but with a grim yet sympathetic smile, "and again I say, the AVL continues to embark on a very...difficult...mission. We warned them that it was an unwise course to come out of the coffin, but they refused to listen and now here we are."

"And so why are you even talking to us? We heard how you felt about Bill Compton and King Northman during the whole Russell Edgington mess—if you could have ordered the True Death upon them you would have," Trey accused him.

"And that was quite a mess, wasn't it? Had it been up to the WVF alone, that would have been their deserved fate...however, the AVL looks out for its own, yes? And that debacle had nothing to do with this situation, in any event; what Benjamin Pope has planned, in conjunction with the wishes of his mentor, Octavian Valerius, makes the actions of Russell Edgington look like mere child's play."

"Do you know where he is?" Trey asked him.

"I do not."

"And what are we dealing with, exactly, Magister Kosciuszko?" Sarah asked next.

"You are dealing with what was, and still is, Octavian Valerius' Number One secret weapon in his campaign against humans."

Trey and Sarah waited on edge to hear more as Kosciuszko seemed to lose himself in his own thoughts.

"Magister Kosciuszko?"

He came back to himself at the sound of Sarah's soft voice. "I don't have time to give you the long story, for the sun will soon be upon us; you should have stopped looking for any record of Benjamin Pope after your first round of investigation—Valerius left none. For what he did to Benjamin Pope, and so many other crimes, the True Death should have been rendered upon Valerius centuries ago.

"Pope was his next true love, after his Fae inamorato, Claude Crane; a shifter, whom Octavian had come to know sometime during the 1760's, after he'd traveled to the island of Upolu in Samoa."

"How do you know all of this, Magister Kosciuszko?"

"Let us just say...that I know—but what is more important for _you _to know is that Pope can assume the identity of any animal, still—as well as any person, living or undead, as he pleases; because of his vampiric blood he is able to sustain such transformations without mortal effect, unlike shape-shifters who happen to...acquire...the talent of skin walking. He is not beholden to the night—partly as a result of his particular hybridism in general, and also because he was made by one of the most powerful Ancients among us when he was brought into the fold. He was a careful secret for many centuries. I know of no other like him."

"Why are you helping us now? Why not when Valerius took the AVL as hostages and prepared to televise their execution before the whole world?" Trey asked him angrily, as he thought back to the maniac who was the reason he was without his own Maker.

"We were honoring our agreement to stay out of his way."

"He was also calling for the death of all Ancients, if I remember correctly..." Trey shot back at the unfazed vampire.

"He did not mean us—we don't have the same problem here with disrespectful fledglings that you American vampires do, who are so easily incited to such ridiculous and dangerous pursuits. However, when I heard about Secretary Dowling—or rather, the disposition of the_ real_ Secretary Dowling—I knew who the culprit had to be. Even I know that the point has come where he truly must be stopped."

"He'll know that you've given us this information, won't he?" Sarah's words were more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, he will. But I'll suffer no reprisal from him; you see, I'm near to five-thousand years old, myself, young ones; I am not interested to know how another thing on this planet may play out; I am more weary than words can ever describe and long to see the sunrise one last time, then go on to my rest."

"But..."

"I have told you all that I know, I can be of no further assistance to you, Mrs. Newlin." Kosciuszko assured her. "And now..." he pointed at the horizon, which was still dark to human eyes, but already causing Trey and Sarah to feel the need for shelter and sleep descending upon them, "...it is time for you to go...before you are unable to do so."

But it was already too late; Trey and Sarah grabbed onto one another as they felt the Little Death overtake them and began a slow, surreal descent to the ground. Trey lost consciousness first, but suddenly Sarah was aware of strong arms about her, lifting her up; she looked over to where Kosciuszko had been standing, seconds before, and saw only a hazy, yet bright conflagration which seemed to meld with the sun on the horizon before everything went completely black.

* * *

><p>The next evening Sarah and Trey awoke to the angry countenance of Sabeen Zaya.<p>

"You are no good to us if you are heaps of ashes upon the ground!" she yelled at them both as they entered the conference room at Kalvaryja, where Antanas, Shashen'Ka, Victor, Vitaly and Andrej were waiting for them along with their livid protectress.

"I...I'm sorry, Sabeen, but he gave us information, and—"

"Yes, he gave you information—that you almost didn't survive long enough to do anything with!" Sabeen cut Sarah off. "It is just like Yuriya to do such a thing...divulge enough to keep you distracted and rooted to your spot as the sun comes up to destroy you all—I told you that he was a trickster!"

"And I told you to be mindful of the hour," Shashen'Ka interjected firmly. "Had it not been for Sabeen and Antanas we would not be having this conversation now. Sit down, both of you."

"We're sorry," Trey managed dejectedly after he had taken his seat, ashamed and unable to meet the eyes around the table fixed upon him.

"And we would have been sorrier, Trey...Sarah..." Sabeen said more calmly then, "if you weren't here right now."

"This is an error..." came Victor's deep, sobering voice, "that you must never make again. Look at us, both of you," he commanded them; they obeyed.

"Vampire 101, guys," Andrej smiled at them, "I don't care what's going on—you don't fuck around with going to ground—Johnny Cochran School of Vampirism," he joked; Sabeen shot him a disapproving look. "What?"

"This is no time for jokes, Andrej," Sabeen reminded him tersely; she turned her attention back across the table to Trey and Sarah. "Now...back to business—just what did the crazy fucker tell you?"


End file.
